This is a beautiful Ethiopian restaurant. It is decorated in a traditional Ethiopian items with beautiful light fixtures. The food is great too. Try the veggie combo and Amaze tibs. Service was good too and our server managed to come and check on us but I felt bad about those two girls running around serving 10+tables with large group, all in all, it's a very nice place and I am planing to go back. read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great food, best tej (Ethiopian honey wine) outside of Addis Ababa, gracious and comfortable atmosphere made this a memorable dinner experience. I had a delicious classic meat medley while my wife and guest enjoyed a variety of vegetarian fare. This restaurant is well worth a trip to Berkeley. Went back today for lunch and had both a delightful meal and again found the honey wine (te'j) was as good as any I have had in Ethiopia.The kitfo was glorious as well. read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Me enjoying food with Gezu , the owner of Lemat Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Amazing place with authentic Ethiopian food. Great atmosphere. Recommend the meat sampler. Definitely coming back. Very friendly staff and very clean facility, read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Happy to find a gluten-free option in the East Bay and the venue and service are very pleasant. As for the food, the vegetarian combo injera which we split was tasty and very satisfying, but the lamb dish we had with it was over-salted and the meat was extremely tough. That spoiled the experience somewhat and I was dithering between 3 and 4 stars with this review. read more

Best Ethiopian Restaurant!!!! Wonderful service and authentic food. Highly recommend to anyone who love good food and service together.

Tried the Gomen B'sega (sp?) collards with lamb tonight and was disappointed by how vinegary it was compared to the vegetarian version. Injera was also pretty sour tonight so I left with my tongue feeling a bit sore. The Beg Alicha was delicious as always though and I'm still waiting on them to make Doro Alicha (chicken)! read more

Yet another place Yelp got wrong. The food is ok, at least compared to the other places near by, or places in SF. The portions are small, and didn't even fill up my wife, who is small 5'2" and maybe 120lbs. What really made me choke was the prices. OMFG! We got a veggie combo plate, and a chicken plate - and it was $50!!! When I saw the bill I almost choked, and I had to do a double take on the bill. For the insane prices alone, I'll never be coming back here again. Even if it was amazing food, this isn't someone award winning place, it a hole in the wall and I can't imagine how they can justify the prices. Maybe that's why the entire place was empty when I went in around 6pm on a Friday night. read more

Just dined here for the first time and was very pleased. All the injera they make is teff-only (gluten free) so there's no worry of cross contamination. We got the veggie combo and I was impressed by the brightness of each dish in color and flavor- also, the salad was very fresh and crisp! Also had a lamb stew dish with turmeric that was mild and well prepared. The television was quite loud, but it was during playoffs with the Warriors, so maybe it's not always so loud. I will definitely be back. read more

Great service, good food, great place to enjoy the company of others and share a meal read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - A place to dine. - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I have been here half a dozen times before and forgave the high prices ($16 for a not-huge veggie combo!!) because the atmosphere pleasant, servers sweet, food was delicious, and price included the gluten-free all-teff injera. (A lot of places charge $2-5 more for this, as teff grain is more expensive than wheat flour, which is often used to cut costs) But this weekend I ordered through Uber Eats, and was sooo disappointed with what they delivered. The portion was ridiculously TINY! The teensy salad portion not even dressed. For the price, I honestly felt completely ripped off. read more

Cute place and ambiance that's the two stars for but the food was not fresh (had the Doro tibs) and the samosas tasted really wired and small, nice people but please use fresh, spices will not take the chicken smell away when not fresh read more

Living around the corner from Lemat, I finally got myself to come here. FOOD: Samosa (lentil), veggie combo, and tibs. I must say, the injera (Ethiopian flat bread) was delicious for my tastes because it was not too sour. Other Ethiopian places tend to make the bread quite sour, but here, they accommodate to the American taste. Also, the food was delicious and well-seasoned! That amount of food for two people was more than enough, so know the portion sizes are very good! SERVICE: It's pretty slow, so be prepared to wait! Overall, a tasty adventure in Berkeley! read more

What a revelation! Had dinner there, got the veggie combo with my brother. We ate with our hands (who needs cutlery when you have delicious injera) and even shared the same plate. The setting is also special, both modern and traditional at the same time. It's obvious a lot of thought has gone into the furniture and art that is hanging all around. Best Ethiopian food I've ever had. As a bonus the Uncommon Common ale on tap was equally delicious. read more

Nice atmosphere and flavorful food. We got both the veggie and the meat combo and it was all pretty good. Favorites were probably the mild lamb stew, the lamb and collard greens stew, homemade cheese, and spicy lentils, but it was all quite good. Points off are for the service and injera. The injera was a) not sour enough and b) a bit cold and crumbly. I asked the waitress if she wouldn't mind hearing it up and she dismissed me by saying that was how it was traditionally served. Every other Ethiopian place I've been has served it warm and I prefer it that way -- even if it's not traditional, I thought the waitress accommodated my request to heat it up. Our waitress spent most of the dinner sitting at the bar across the room and texting which was a turnoff, especially given her seeming annoyance at our requests. She also gave us a bit of side eye for asking for a couple glasses for a carafe of honey wine (which was a bit too sweet for my taste). Food was also pretty expensive, but honestly not much more than other Ethiopian places so I can't fault it too much for that. Overall though, food (besides injera) was great and the atmosphere was charming, with traditional mesobs, authentic music and quaint interior decorating. I can see myself stopping by here again. read more

Ordered take out, everything was delicious. The kitfo is out of this world. We got mild , and it was perfectly-spiced. We also got the veg and carnivore combo, both were very good though I liked the stewed meats a bit less. A generous portion of the 100% teff injera that I had for lunch with a fried egg the next day. Some of the best Ethiopian food I've had, and abundant too. read more

Lemat used to be our go-to place for Ethiopian cuisine, and we've been going there for the last 12 months. However the quality of food has significantly reduced since March 2021. There is a distinct staleness in taste and the food also causes a lot of discomfort, gastrointestinal discomfort, afterwards. read more

ITZ A NEW DAY! And GUESS WHAT! They're still the same environment! Enjoyable and welcoming establishment! HUSBAND AND WIFE ! Family life! Authentic food with mellow music playing softly! If you don't knowYou better find out!#HONEYWINE GOOD AFTERNOON! read more

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Lemat is my favorite for Ethiopian food! The injera is 100% gluten free and safe for celiacs. Everything is delicious.

I've been eating Ethiopian cuisine for over 25 years and Lemat's has to rate among the best I've ever had. The veggie combo included some puréed lentils and a chickpea paste that I've never had before. The chickpea paste was much thicker and creamier than any hummus. The Tibs was flavorful and the Doro Wott was spicy but not overpowering. The spices were not heavy so tasting the meat and vegetables under the spices was not difficult, yet the flavors of each dish stood out and were delicious. The Gored Gored was the best I've ever had. read more

Extremely kind people, and the best Ethiopian food I have had. I try to sample everything the bay area has, and this one is definitely at the top. I had the veggie combo, and it comes on gluten free injera- which is the pancake-like bread from Ethiopia that's made from pure, fermented teff (Teff by the way is the world's smallest grain). I loved this place and the owner was very nice. read more

Got the vegetarian combo and chicken tibs and together make a good platter to share. If you don't know what to get the combos are a solid choice. The ambiance is interesting, I like the hanging sombrero looking things and the chairs are cool. The wait is a while to get food but waitress was super cool. Worth a try even though there's a lot of Ethiopian spots nearby and the competition is high. read more

My favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Berkeley / Oakland. Everything is so well spiced and balanced and the decor is lovely! There's a lot of space for seating and despite there usually being a lot of people there, there's never a wait. I love the veggie combo. The shiro wat is also fantastic! read more

Great food, great service! They have two types of Ethiopian beer one is a flavorful brown ale and the other is a smooth pilsner. The lentil samosas are amazing. The lentils are cooked to perfection and very flavorful. We also had the lamb tibs and doro tibs. All delicious! I'm glad they have delivery and pick up because I need to try more of their food! read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Trying out some Ethiopian beer! Both are delicious! - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Best Ethiopian restaurant in Berkeley! Samosa beef and Lemat Kitfo were delicious. Join the weekend coffee ceremony for a full 5-sense experience. read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian deco. Spacious interiors and beautiful designs. - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Kinda of inconsistent on wether or not they're open until 10pm or not. I live down the street so it's only 2 min driving but so frustrated with calling before 930 and not being able to place for pick up. Guess tonight's slow so they stopped taking orders at 915p tonight. Found some new spots to try later! read more

It's probably the best setting I have seen for a Habesha restaurant!! While I was being amazed by the looks, my expectations for the food were high. We ordered the quanta ferfer, lemat kitfo, vegi combo and awaze Tibes. Amazing food!!! The kitfo is to die for!!! I don't think we left any thing on that plate!!! P.S the Teje (honey wine) is home made read more

I have been here twice and both times I was very impressed! The food is delicious! We had the vegetarian sampler and the meat combination plate, and we've also tried the samosas. All the dishes were awesome - fabulous injera, the meat was tender and everything was very flavorful. My favorite is the Ye'siga Wot. So good! It's a great space, too - open and clean with plenty of ambience, thanks to the decor and the smell of roasting coffee and spices. Service was quick and friendly. I would recommend Lemat to people looking to try Ethiopian for the first time as well as anyone looking for really good Ethiopian food. We will definitely be going back! read more

My husband is Ethiopian and this is currently him and his family's favorite spot for excellent Ethiopian food. The owner has taken great pains to create a beautiful interior. The aunties rave about the Kitfo special (which we like to order well done), and I'm a huge fan of the veggie combo and shiro plates. Hands down, this is the place for Ethiopian food. read more

First time ever having Ethiopian food and I have no idea why I waited so long! My friend had suggested it for dinner and we dug in on the veggie combo and Doro tibs ... amazing! Seasonings on point and so much flavor! Only thing I wasn't a super fan of was the injera. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it was made perfectly, but I was not expecting a sourish taste so it threw me off a bit. Despite that, I will definitely be going back to try other dishes! read more

Lemat has been several long years in coming, and now proves to have been worth the wait. As one of the very first customers to be served on opening night, I saw that Lemat has a few kinks to work out. They need more serving stations near the front of this gigantic space, so the waitress doesn't have to hike all the way to the back to access napkins or water. But presumably these things will work themselves out. So, how's the food? Good! We ordered the veggie combo, and everything tasted great. Our combo plates did not come with a basket of extra injera; we had to ask for that, and it arrived close to the end of our meal. But, again, that's a first-night hiccup. All in all, Lemat is a welcome addition to the blossoming array of new restaurants in the Lorin district. We'll be eating there again. read more

We have made this place our family standard. Friendly staff, flavorful food, lovely decor, we love coming here for dinner after a long work week. We often get a beer, a couple of honey wines and the large shared platter of goodness. Our 4yo enjoys getting a chance to eat with her hands and having a large selection of tasty things to choose from. read more

What an adventure! The moment I walked in, I felt like it was almost like a dream, with a decor unlike anything I've seen before. Round tables with woven coverings, and many other coverings hanging from the ceiling, all unique. Carved chairs, unusual wall hangings. I've been to the other Ethiopian restaurants in Berkeley, which I like too, but this one goes all out with the ethnic artistry, which makes it more of an experience. The food was excellent, and I like having the choice of tumeric in the meal, as that's so healthy. The service was sweet. Overall, very pleasant. read more

Big fan of this new Ethiopian place in the Lorin District. We're not very Ethiopian-savvy, but we ordered lentil Samosas and the dipping sauce was lovely and complimented the veggie pockets. We split the Beyaynetu, an all veggie combination. These 2 were enough for a light meal along with a couple Ethiopian beers. Will definitely return to explore the rest of the menu. What a great addition to the growing South Berkeley dining scene. read more

We were looking enough to join Day two after grand opening. Very fresh produce and spices. They imported tables from Ethiopia, very fun to eat on these family style. My children loved it. read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Enjoying Saturday lunch at newly imported tables. Wonderful Rosemary seasoning in mushroom tibs. - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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If your looking For Ethiopian food this is a start. Everyone here is really shy but the atmosphere is very chill. I would come here again. read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Excellent service, went to Lemat for lunch and had the beef samosas... and yumm the samosas were flaky with a nice crunch and the dipping sauce was good also! I also sampled some of the Shiro Wat and that was tasty as well. The Hostess/waitresses was AMAZING so sweet and kind and gave us a brief history of artifacts and Ethiopian coffee. The restaurant itself has great ambience and is true to the Ethiopian heritage. Can't wait to go back a try more dishes. read more

Parking was easy and plentiful. Service was good. We liked that they had authentic tables and chairs. The food was good but left me less than enthused, which is why the four stars rather than five. The best was the lentil somosa appetizers. The shiro wot was like a lentil soup and the waitress poured it over the injera, making it hard to eat: imagine eating a soup that is poured out over a plate of think bread. We also got the mushroom tibs and that was probably our favorite. I do recommend checking this out and need to acknowledge that this was only the second time I have tried Ethiopian food. read more

Pretty new spot. One of the few restaurants on the block. It's a really spacious restaurant... With just a few tables which is a little weird. Ordered the veggie combo and meat combo. It was a little price considering the portion size, but it was very good and flavorful. Injera was a bit more sour than what I'm used to. Next time I'll try the kitfo! read more

Craving Ethiopian food after a work happy hour, I finally tried this new spot conveniently near Ashby BART! The veggie platter is clearly labeled as entirely vegan and was absolutely delicious. I was a little put off by the price--$16 for a single person size. With the side rolls of injera it was big enough for me to last two meals, but if I'd been fully splitting it with my boyfriend... no way. The server was a little confused when I asked if the unnamed "fourth veggie dish" was something I pick, or if they do, but she went to the kitchen and verified that unnamed dish is always the cabbage and/or carrot dish of the day. So, the typical veggie platter set with salad and little dollops of the cold dishes. My boyfriend wasn't very hungry so just got the lentil samosas and said he quite enjoyed them, and that the fried wrappers were donut-like. One day we'll go back and try the tofu or mushrooms tibs and Shiro :) I asked about the injera and was happy to hear it is made from 100% teff and completely gluten free. It was fresh and springy, and is definitely one of the best all-teff kinds in the area! All in all, tasty meal and attractive space (with fun light up menus!), awesome gluten free injera, but a bit on the expensive side to become a regular spot. read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Veggie combo platter (vegan, gluten free) in foreground, $15.95 - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

The best authentic Ethiopian restaurant in the Bay Area. Decorated with Ethiopian motif. The ambience and the service were great.These was the best cooking next to grand mom read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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