First time trying Ethiopian food and it was amazing! The food was excellent and the service was great

An impromptu lunch became an exotic vacation today when, on the spur of the moment, I popped in to Lemat to treat myself. I had an thoroughly satisfying, abundant, beautiful meal here today. About 7 minutes after ordering, my gentle, friendly server presented the $15 veggie platter, an abundance of four delicious and colorful vegan stews: luscious collards, popping-bright yellow split peas, deep-red, pepper-flavored lentils, a smooth and comforting soft cabbage stew, and a sparkly salad, garnished with two ice-cream-sized scoops of rich, condiment-like, buttery yet vegan pates (one like baba ghanoush, the other creamy and mysterious), arranged carefully on those miraculous edible platters of teff-based sourdough flatbread. It came with a basket of five more rolls of the delicious flatbread. I ordered the special coffee to be brought as dessert. Coffee was another delicious surprise. This was quite the feast for hungry, ample me. This was my first visit to an Ethiopian restaurant, and I was enchanted! The roasting coffee beans were brought tableside so that the delicious aromas could be enjoyed before the coffee itself arrived in a pot that could have been found in an ancient archaeological site. The coffee was as impeccable as the meal: smooth, bright, piping hot and flavorful without a hint of acid. My server was extremely knowledgeable and generous in sharing all the details of exactly how she roasts, grinds, and cooks the brew to get exactly that outcome. I ADORED the food. Can you tell? As a new vegan, it's not easy to find cuisine this delicious, exotic and rich, and this meal was all three. I ate only with right hand, on general principle, and was surprised by my dexterity as well as how much it added to the succulent, sensuous experience of this delectable feast. Later googling revealed that this indeed the etiquette. I know I'm raving, but when's the last time you popped in somewhere on impulse and for $20 ended up in another world of such kindness and delight? I'll be back, with my significantly less effusive significant other. Betcha even he loves it! Service was friendly, unobtrusive and plenty prompt despite the presence of a huge party of at least 12 taking up a big chunk of attention. I am so glad to have been rocked like a baby in the cradle of civilization! I even got to have the original coffee of humankind. Life was good to me today. Thank you, Lemat. read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - The knockout $15 vegan platter for one, with 5 extra flatbread rolls. Plenty for a big eater. - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This place is close to my house and a friend recently introduced me to Ethiopian food so it's a great match when I want dinner delivered. Their hours are quite limited and I've gone inside to pickup my order once. They have nicely placed tables not too close to your neighbors and a small bar if you're interested in cocktails and/or socializing. The food is good, fresh and flavorful! I've ordered the mushroom tibs, timatim fitfit, and baklava and won't likely reorder these if it's just me and no one else eating. I will most often re-order the lentil samosas, and veggie combo for myself. Wish they had shrimp as I'm pescatarian and suspect the fish is tilapia--I'll be sure to inquire next time I order here. read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Veggie combo, delivered to my door - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Amazing food! Lovely staff. This is the best Ethiopian food that I have ever had.

So much food for the price and it was worth. The East Bay has the best Ethiopian food on the west coast or so I hear and this did not disappoint! read more

I was walking home from BART one day when I smelled something that could only be delicious Ethiopian food and knew I had to come try this place ASAP. Turns out, it's as good as it smells and is local, in the neighborhood, no complaints at all. The interior is also gorgeous! read more

This is by far the worst Ethiopian restaurant I've even eaten at in my life. Went there seeing the high ratings. The tibs meat wasn't fresh at all . The lentils tasted weird . There are far better ones in Oakland . I wouldn't recommend this place at all . I rate so low so that the owner do something about it . Notice I'm not even comparing about the high price and small portions. I wouldn't mind paying for something tasty. read more

I used to go to Colucci because they are open all day, but after trying Lemat I don't think I can go back. Lemat is much more flavorful! At Lemat you also get 100% teff injera. My husband and I had the veggie combo and an additional order of tofu. Everything was delicious! We sat at the bar and we both had red wine. they have a house wine for $8.00 dollars, Which is a happy hour price to me. We ordered one house wine and one Barbera for $12, and a beer. They were all great. The manager and waitress were both very friendly and kept checking on us. I'm definitely going back to Lemat! read more

I don't know how to add anything else to the wonderful reviews already written. It was an experience to eat here. We had an early dinner on a Sunday after climbing at Ironworks. This gave us time to absorb the furnishings, ambiance, menu and chat with our server who was lovely and generous in sharing about her culture. The veggie combo was a wonderful introduction and the lentils were very spicy! But it all evened out with the cabbage, cauliflower, yellow split peas and teff. The samosas were just ok for us - too much dough and didn't add much in flavor. But we loved the Ethiopian coffee pot and their teff cake! We don't drink much coffee, especially in the late afternoon but we couldn't resist trying it and we still slept well that night. My vegan boyfriend was happy and satisfied as well. A great choice! read more

Went there today for the first time, I picked up to go the veggie combo and it was incredible!! The service was super friendly and restaurant looks really clean. The food was so fresh and the injera was so yummy!! Thanks good people read more

I came to Lemat based on their great reviews and that it's a quick walk from my house. I saw that the Lemat Kitfo was a very popular dish so I decided to try it. To be completely honest, it wasn't my favorite and I regretted ordering it. I asked for medium rare and when the dish came out looking more rare than medium... might have been the seasoning/sauce. The dish is very large so I had tons of leftovers. To my personal taste, the dish wasn't for me. I came back giving Lemat another try for their vegan dish and I'm so glad I did! My friend and I ordered Beyaynatu with the mushroom tibs and it was SOOOO good! Everything was good about it, I couldn't pick a favorite dish. All dishes on the injera had a different flavor- spicy, mild, curry, steamed greens, whipped, etc. The dish is very large, enough to fill 2 people. I'm so glad I came back for this dish because I'll definitely be ordering it again! read more

Ethiopian was a first for me, but Lemat was a real treat. Adorned with ambient lighting and great decor, I had a more than filling dinner on one of their traditional tables. As first timers, we ordered the meat and vegetarian combos, which was served both with and on a type of spongy, slightly acidic bread. Unfortunately we forgot to check the names of the dishes, but the beef, corn, and spicy bean (?) entrees were top. The best part? You can eat your plate too. read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegetarian and meat combinations - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is NO WAY QUALITY ETHIOPIAN FOOD!!! Injera was soggy and the beef stew was bland!! Stew had no taste at all! Don't waste your money here read more

First experience at Ethiopian restaurant was great. I love their ambience and very good customer service. I really like the way they have decorated inside restaurant with authentic painting and handicrafts from their country. The place is spacious and clean. Parking might be a little hassle.Affordable prices. Generous portion. read more

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This was a great new experience for me. New to Ethiopian food, I took a chance and it was delightful. Let me say first of all that the atmosphere alone was worth the trip. The restaurant is decorated with all kinds of fabulous art, and there were different kinds of tables from traditional to more coffee room setting. It just had that feel of a great place to share a meal with friends and family. The food itself is different. I didn't realize Ethiopian food was not meant to be served with utensils but that made the experience all the more interesting. Everything I had there was new. I had Ethiopian coffee, which was very rich with flavor. I ate the Lemat kitfo which was a huge combination of meat, collard greens, and cottage cheese. They served it with this very unique bread, which you use to grab the food on the plate. The bread was on the soft side, cold, and I can't couldn't quite place it but I would say almost a lemon taste. The collard greens and cottage cheese were absolutely amazing. I did like the meat, but it was very spicy. Note to newcomers, ask for the mild version! It is also meant to be served on the raw side, But the staff there offered to have it lightly cooked for me. And that's the important last thing I want to mention, the staff. There were two ladies serving and both of them were very knowledgeable, sweet, and delightful. They checked on me many times to see how I was enjoying my visit, made wonderful suggestions, and made me feel like a regular. If it weren't for the fact that this place is really far away from where I live, I would be be a regular. I strongly recommend this place especially if you're looking for a new dining experience. read more

Wanted to try this spot as they typically have live music in some nights and I was open to try a new Ethiopian restaurant. The restaurant is rather large and actually could use more seating given the space. The service was good although it took sometime to get our meal. The injera, possibly gluten-free, wasn't as tasty but the chicken that I ordered was pretty good. I had a veggie plate which to my tastes was different also and seemed to be missing some of the typical spices. Will stick to my regular spots when I have a taste for Ethiopian cuisine. read more

This is my favorite Ethiopian place for takeout in Berkeley. I usually get the veggie combo platter, which is way more than enough food for one person. There is a good variety of items included in it too. I can't ever decide which item in the platter is my favorite because they're all so flavorful and different. Their injera is the best I've had, anywhere, ever - it isn't too thick or too thin, too sour or too bland, or too chewy. It's really light but stays together as you move food from the plate to your mouth. The folks that work at Lemat are friendly and welcoming, and the dining room is warm and beautiful. Definitely recommend this spot to anyone in the mood for Ethiopian or something new! read more

My friends and I had awesome takeout from Lemat last week. It also looks like a lovely place to dine in once it's safe. For now, I highly recommend them for takeout! We had the veggie and meat samplers and were all very happy. read more

With buzzing excitement, I decided to order take out from this new Ethiopian restaurant located in south Berkeley. I've had Ethiopian food for four years so I'm well versed in what I like and what I don't. I tend to prefer red meat like lamb or beef which is very tender and spicy and the vegetable dishes are usually phenomenal-- collard greens, potatoes, chick peas, lentils, they're all good. But I decided to do something different-- I ordered a meat combo special that came with collard greens and 3 meat dishes-- one was a chicken drumstick with an egg, one was beef stew, and the last one was tibs, a dish of a protein sautéed with onions and butter and this was one was beef tibs. Overall, very lacklustre food. The meat of all 3 dishes were dry. Chicken is almost a given, but they must have used a 90/10 cut of beef meaning that it's not very fat so the meat became tough to eat. The seasonings were a bit grainy-- like curry but it was a smooth texture of seasonings or marinade like I'm used to. Nothing was spicy either. I've had better Ethiopian food in Oakland and Berkeley and Lemat just didn't cut it for me. It was disappointing because I adore Ethiopian food and I was hoping to add another restaurant to my list of favourites but the flavours here I guess weren't my style. I paid 19 dollars when I could've gone to another place in Oakland and paid 17 and get more food portion wise and with flavours I prefer. I would say to try lemat to see if the seasonings are to your liking, but for me, even though they had polite service (the owner did offer me water as I was waiting for my takeout), the meat itself and the seasonings just weren't my thing. read more

I finally tried Lemat recently for some takeout, and I loved it so much I placed another takeout order via Grubhub on this past Wednesday, the night before Thanksgiving. When the driver went to pick up my "confirmed" order, the driver found that the restaurant was closed. I received a call from Grubhub stating as much and offering me an apology after fully refunding my order. It was just so strange that there was no notice of a closure. read more

Lemat is delicious and the ambience was great. Very authentic. We came in on a Sunday night very early so it wasn't crowded. We got to sit wherever so we decided to sit at a traditional table with low seats and a round stool where they put the platters on. I lived in DC for several years where there is a strong Ethiopian population so I have tried it before, but it was a first for my boyfriend.. He loved it!! We got the veggie combo and meat combo which was the perfect way to get a taste of everything. The only reason I gave it 4 and not 5 stars is because it was not as spicy and flavorful as what I have had before in DC but it was still delicious, especially if you are easing your way into it. Also the injera (the spongy bread you use to pick up the food) was the perfect texture. read more

Awesome food and super easy takeout pickup! Got the veggie platter and my boyfriend had the Ye'Siga Wot and we were both so happy with how everything tasted. Probably the best Ethiopian I've had- 10/10 would recommend read more

Nice people. Good food. TINY PORTIONS. It was disappointing. Two bites of the yellow split peas (lentils) and it was gone. The gomen (collard greens were good), but not much of it. This place is not cheap and the portions are too small for the prices charged. Whether you place an order to go or eat it there, the wait is always 45 minutes to an hour even when the place has a few patrons. I'm in search of another Ethiopian Restaurant with good food and reasonable portions. read more

4 stars for service and ambience. 3 stars for food. With so many great Ethiopian places around, this one just doesn't bring the flavor like some others. But it's acceptable and we'd go back in a pinch. read more

Discovered this place stopping for lunch during my workday a while back. The lady who took my to go order was so nice and brought me water while I waited. The food was great so I returned again. Then I had my birthday there. Service was a bit slow for a table of 13 but the environment was warm, the feast was plentiful and the eclectic live music on Saturday night completed the night. I think it's my favorite Ethiopian restaurant I've tried so far, considering ambience, service, and flavor. read more

Beautiful dining room. We have been eating Ethiopian food for over 30 yrs, and have watched in dismay as more EBay places "dumb down" this great, gutsy cuisine. Instead of deeply flavored braises, there's sloppy stir-fries and flat weak seasonings. Two exceptions: Lemat/Berkeley and Injera/Alameda. Both serve the kind of richly-flavored stews and braises we love, both vegetarian and meat. Lemat's vegetarian sampler was a touch better than Injera's sampler. But Injera's meat sampler was (very) slightly better than Lemat, so overall it's a tie. Both are highly recommended. Be aware that Lemat is located near the Ashby BART station so it can be difficult to park around there at peak times. Please note for all the Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants: sometimes the all-teff injera is not always available no matter where you go. In such cases, a wheat blend, or even a wheat/barley/teff blend, is used. These are all small business owners, so please be understanding about this! read more

The veggie combo is SO GOOD. Not necessarily better than I've had it elsewhere, but still amazing. The restaurant also has a great, spacious interior with some really cool artwork. And the service is friendly and great! read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - 3 veggie combos (Veggie Combo Beyaynetu) on a shared platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Food was solid - specifically the mushrooms. Waited an entire hour for our food and the portions were a lot smaller than places I've been to in Oakland. Came on a Saturday night read more

Great spot with great service! Food and as wonderful - had a veggie platter an an Ethiopian beer.

I've been living in Berkeley for about a year now and Lemat is by far my favorite restaurant that I've tried since moving here. I've only ever ordered takeout many times due to COVID procedures but the interior is so beautiful and I can't wait to dine in when it is safe to do so. The veggie combo platter and lentil samosas are so good every time. Quick pick up and friendly staff! read more

Nice little Ethiopian place and definitely a better one that I've experienced in Berkeley. They are quite nice and have a good selection of food. If you have never eaten Ethiopian before you should definitely try it because it is really delicious food with a twist in the way you eat it. I won't spoil the surprise here but you should definitely come here if you want something different and new. The food was very flavorful and did not take that long to get to us (unlike some other Ethiopian restaurants in the area). It is nicely decorated and the tables are pretty spaced out from each other so there is a lot of room in there and I don't think you can ever feel cramped in there. Overall a very good experience and I highly recommend. read more

So good. Last night we got carryout again. Everything was sensational. The veggie combo was probably my favorite, but close behind was the mushroom tibs and the asa tibs (fried fish). I'm so grateful to Lemat for operating through the pandemic. Highly recommended! read more

Stopped in to pick up dinner yesterday and brought home some very tasty authentic dishes and beers. The interior is so spacious and beautiful, it is a shame they cannot offer dining yet. I bet they do soon, however, and this will be a great spot for dinner and entertainment (noticed a stage where live music is performed and a full bar). When you see Lemat and enjoy the dishes, you will be pleasantly surprised at how reasonable the prices are. Thank you! read more

I've never had Ethiopian food before. Amazing! Plus great vegan options. I want to know their secrets to cooking such good dishes.

Great food, environment and gluten free injera.

Lemat, my favorite Ethiopian restaurant, is such a lovely establishment. My partner and I probably go here at least a couple times a month because the food is top notch and they were even open during COVID. Stop reading. Go eat Ethiopian food. It will make you feel better. read more

Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant - Veggie combo and drop ribs during the quarantine! - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

It's been a while since I've reviewed on Yelp, and my experience with Lemat's amazing customer service tonight inspired me to write a review. Lemat is the favorite go-to choice for take-out in our house, as we like to eat healthy and my husband is also gluten-free. (Our usual pick is the vegetarian platter.) I've had a lot of Ethiopian food, having lived in Washington, D.C., and this is the best I've ever tasted. Tonight I ordered via GrubHub, and make a long story short, GrubHub driver never showed up to the restaurant as scheduled, and I was left high & dry. No GrubHub delivery! (The stakes were high, as I had a hangry preschooler.) I was desperate to feed my family and had no back-up plan for dinner. The owner at Lemat called GrubHub on my behalf and when he couldn't get through, he offered to personally drive the delivery over to my house with his wife. A personal delivery from the owners - wow! When you order from this restaurant, you are more than a customer -- you are treated like family! I am a loyal Lemat customer for life. Excellent food + above-and-beyond customer service is a match made in heaven. read more

**review from take-out standpoint, not dine-in* Honestly, I was going to post pictures of my food but I ate it too fast because it was so delicious. For a while, my gf and I had been searching for a good Ethiopian place to eat. There are many of them around but none that had had us dying for more ya know? So one day we decided to get takeout from here, we got the "Veggie combo beyaytenu" , and oh goodness the flavors! It was one of the more flavorful and filling dishes I had in a while. All the veggies seemed fresh and they were all the perfect consistency with the appropriate amount of space. The ONLY con about this place is that the take out order seemed a little smaller than I expected, and from what I saw, the dine in portions are much bigger. Aside from that we really loved the food and are hoping to eat in the restaurant the next time we want Ethiopian! read more

We had come here reading the reviews and hoping for a very good experience. We were dissapointed at multiple levels. Firstly the food was not fresh. It was cold and did not feel healthy. Maybe is was made much earlier. Secondy the service was extremely slow. No attention was being paid. We had to wave multiple times to get the attention of the server. The price does not do justice to the quality of food or service. We do not plan to return. read more

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