Came here one evening on a whim because it's close to the church my mother goes to. While I had my eye on the restaurant for a while, I never realized it was so close. The staff are all very welcoming and kind and quickly got me seated with a menu and soon after got my order in, just an order of Derek Tibs, and started. The water I ordered came soon after in the form of a glass and a pitcher. There's a wait time that's pretty typical of ethiopian food that you'll get used to as you have more of it. When it comes to the Derek Tibs, they're honestly a bit bland, but not any more or less so than what I've grown accustomed to. The Berebere sauce (they offered it to me as hot sauce), and the Injera is really what gives it a lot of flavor. Honestly my favorite part of the dry style Ethiopian food is the texture and amount of crust they're able to get on the meats. Overall a very enjoyable experience, I would definitely recommend trying if you get the chance. Likely will return with friends. read more

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as a san diego college student, i am in a tireless search for affordable and nourishing food in hospitable places, and i was able to find this experience at lucy ethiopian restaurant. we ordered the two meat combo, which was satisfying for two hungry adults, and a glass of tej (ethiopian honey wine), which was a beautiful pairing to our meal. even as someone unfamiliar with ethiopian culture, the food and drink made me feel nostalgic, and the peaceful atmosphere of the restaurant contributed to a blissful dining experience. our server was very friendly and helpful, and the service was very quick. i felt very welcomed in this environment, and i will happily return again soon. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - two meat combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

This was my second time trying Ethiopian food. Great flavors, spicy and delicious! Friendly waitress, nice atmosphere. It took a while before we received our order but overall the food was good and the experience of eating the meal without utensils was fun, challenging. 2025/10 read more

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I love this place!!!! Amazing cooks and staff. Vegetarian Ethiopian food. Fantastic! Easy parking out front. Best Ethiopian I've had in a long time. I used to go to the others on University, but don't any longer. I love this place!!! Seriously. Have been to Ethiopia and this is an authentic experience. They take a lot of care in their service, presentation - and of course their food. You will have a good time. They have table seating, or authentic Ethiopian friends/family seating. read more

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It was my first time having Ethiopian food here! I had the meat combo and i believe the Tibs Firfir. I really liked the meat combo! The meat alongside the injera tasted really good and I would highly recommend it. The service was very nice and the ambiance of the restaurant was nice as well. I wish they refilled my water more frequently but that is just a personal preference. Overall, I would highly recommend trying this place! read more

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This is HANDS DOWN the best Ethiopian restaurant in San Diego. The service is friendly and the restaurant offers both regular tables and traditional Ethiopian seating. The chefs have complete mastery of spices and my favorite things to order are the special kitfo and the vegan platter. It's a great combination of flavors. The kitfo is authentically prepared with finely chopped lean beef and the most delicious spices and warm butter. All of the vegetable dishes are seasoned in a crave-able way. Ideally, dining here is a communal experience and everyone should get their entrees on the same big platter so everyone can try whatever they want. The injira is 100% teff so it is easy to digest and gluten free. Don't go to Red Sea, this place is so much better. They fill the gap Awash left when it closed years ago. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegan special and special kitfo on the same platter - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

My daughter and I wanted to try Ethiopian food and we were not disappointed. The cafe is neat with lovely and unique decor, the menu is extensive and reasonably priced and the food was very good. We shared the vegan sampler plate and it was more than enough for us both. The service was fast, and the server took the time to explain the food and answer our questions about the process of making the injera. It was a lovely cultural experience that I would gladly repeat. read more

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Lucy Ethiopian is such a gem! There are tables for small and large groups. The inside is clean and simple. The food is fabulous! My friends and I ordered the vegan and meat combos and a few other dishes. Highly recommend if you're looking for good Ethiopian food. The service is quick too! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Meat combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

We got lucky with the parking and were able to park right outside the restaurant. It is a small and cozy place with decor representing Ethiopian culture and heritage. The server was friendly and helpful. She got us the menus and water right away and came back to take the order few minutes after. We got the Meat combo, substituting one of the meat dishes with a vegetarian (chickpea stew) option. The meat itself was not very tender, but all the stews were very flavorful. Injera was fully fermented and sour, which went great with the side dishes. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Meat combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

Super delicious vegan food. The vegan sampler platter was so filling and you feel amazing after. Great service, very fast and fresh.

We have been frequenting Lucy for a couple months. It's fresh, healthy feeling, and the service is lovely. It's a bit more modern of a feel than most traditional Ethiopian restaurants. We will definitely be back! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Veggie combo and Kitfo Special - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

Best Ethiopian food in San Diego if not everywhere! Highly recommend- service was amazing. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

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The water tasted like injara (like it was left chilled uncovered with other food in the fridge and absorbed the flavors, very off-putting) and the tej was obviously homemade and we got the bottom of the poorly filtered jug. It was dark and very yeasty. My friends couldn't drink it. As I've made mead many times I knew the issue, and was surprised a restaurant was allowed to serve homemade alcohol with no label. The food was good, if extremely varied in temperature. Some dishes that I'm certain were to be warm/hot were tepid while others came out streaming. We got the meat and vegan combos which was plenty of food for our table of three with leftovers, and the service was good. read more

Disappointed to have to write this review after being a consistent patron for many years. I finally visited for dinner with my teenage daughter and her friend (1st time trying Ethiopian food). We ordered food for 4 adults. Got 6 injera pieces. I asked for injera to go as we love leftovers. Was told it was $2 for 3 pieces. Umm, so that means you get 1.5 mini rolls is you dine there? I then got charge $6 for 6 pieces, which means she charged me for what was on the table. Injera is typically FREE. I ordered 4 adults meals plus ten. Listen, I'm happy to pay for the 15% increase for food and 20% tip, but when you nickel and dime me for injera, you are losing your core customers. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Injera - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

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My brother and his family were in town and they are adventurous as far as food goes. Even his kids will try anything so this was the perfect spot to have an excellent meal. The wait staff were very attentive and managed the whole restaurant with ease. So far this place has been my favorite Ethiopian spot in San Diego and I have 3 more to try though. For sure will be back! read more

Came for a later dinner after the soccer game, super happy we stopped in. Delicious variety on the vegan special- particular favorite was the beets. Servers were very kind, and the chef stepped out to make sure everything was to enjoyable. Restaurant is roomy, plenty of seating and very beautiful inside. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Hole in the wall gem! Wow--what a soulful experience! The moment I took my first bite, I was transported straight to Ethiopia. The spices, the textures, the love in every bite of that Vegan platter--absolutely exquisite! It wasn't just food, it was culture, history, and heart on a plate. And let me just say--our server, even though visibly tired, still radiated kindness and made sure we felt taken care of. That kind of warmth and authenticity? Unmatched. I left full, grateful, and already craving my next visit. This place is a treasure--Ethiopian cuisine at its finest! One sad thing, not to teeter-totter, the bathrooms are not as clean as I would like. Seems like places with the best food have no time to deep clean. So I stay with my 5 stars! read more

Listen, The ambience was different. The experience is something you need to have at least once in your life. To immerse yourself in different cultures is something we must strive for in this life to get a better understanding and appreciation for humanity. However, I think and this is just purely speaking subjectively from MY PERSPECTIVE. Ethiopian food is just not for me. The Injera is sour both in scent and taste. You can drown it out with their meat based stews and honestly they have amazing flavor and are hearty and healthy, but for some, they may share a similar experience. I'm giving this a 4, because it's unfair for my perspective to ruin their cuisine. But just warning is all I'd like to share. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

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2 - Check your receipt, I almost got charged for things I didn't order We decided to try this spot after going to Addis last week. The food was okay - not bad, just didn't have that same rich flavor we were hoping for. It was missing a little something compared to other Ethiopian places we've tried. Anyway, when it came time to pay, the lady ran my card and gave me my receipt (thankfully - I was gonna ask either way because of what happened at the last place). I looked it over and saw some charges that didn't make sense: a "side shero" and a "side vegan" that I never ordered. What I actually ordered was just one meat combo, one vegan combo, four sambusas, and three sodas - that's it. When I asked about the extra items, she said it might've been from a "previous order," but that didn't really make sense because I was the one being charged. I pointed it out and she fixed it, but still... it makes you wonder. That's two different Ethiopian restaurants in a row that have tried to charge me more than what I ordered. Just wanted to share my experience so others double-check their receipts before leaving. Hopefully it was just an honest mistake, but it definitely left me feeling unsure about coming back. read more

This is my go-to Ethiopian spot in San Diego. I usually get the vegan special and add another veggie or meat dish. It's always delicious! The vegan special has 8 yummy dishes. I also appreciate that I can eat a lot and still feel great afterward, not heavy or sluggish. There's street parking in the front of the restaurant or the side street. I like to park in the back lot and then enter through the back entrance. Just a heads-up, they serve tap water for free or you can buy bottled water. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegan Special (Beyaynetu) - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

My friends and I enjoyed visiting Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant in San Diego. We ordered both the meat and vegetarian platters for our group of six, and we were stuffed by the end--everything was flavorful and satisfying. I usually reference my experience with Ethiopian food from my time in Los Angeles, where I used to frequent spots in Little Ethiopia, and this meal held up. The staff was warm and welcoming, and we had a great time overall. read more

It was sooo good! Our whole family ate here and everything was great and flavorful. Nice service as well!

My new favorite Ethiopian restaurant! We are so lucky to have so many options to eat injera and wot here in SD! I still like Red Sea, and Muzita for slightly different reasons, but I have to say what makes this place exceptional is their smoky hot chili paste. If you like Mexican salsa macha, you will love this. This sauce ranks right up there with my favorite salsa macha in Escondido. For lunch I ordered: the Vegan Special. Be warned this is enough for 2 people but I wiped the platter clean myself. I felt like Joey Chestnut after a Nathan's championship, lol! But it was all too good! My favorites were the cabbage with carrot, collard greens and the mesir. But the salad is a heavenly thing too. The dressing is so simple and addictive but I have tried making this at home and failed. It also comes with beets split peas and lentil all of which are perfectly stewed and seasoned. I was so hungry when I arrived that I started eating the injera plain before the veggies came out- oops- I ended up needing every last piece to finish the platter. I even scooped up the soggy injera underneath each dish, devouring every bit- the base injera tastes even better soaked in sauces and the hot chili paste. Omg- I can't wait to go back! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegan Special- AMAZING! So good! Ask for the chili paste to go with! - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

Not a local San Diegan, was looking to try some Ethiopian dinner before heading back to LA. This was my first Ethiopian food experience ever. Super interesting. Loved the flavor of everything on the vegan platter, especially I've always loved lentils, and the small empanadas were great, freshly fried (lentils and potato). read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegan Special (Beyaynetu) - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

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I was recommended this restaurant as the best Ethiopian food in San Diego so of course I had to check it out. Four of us had lunch here. There is a small parking lot behind the restaurant and lots of 2 hr street parking spaces. We ordered the potato and lentil Sambusas. So tasty and had a kick to them. For lunch we ordered the big vegan platter and the meat combo. It was a lot of food but so nice to be able to try all the different dishes. My favorite was the beef with berbere dish. The injera was so spongey and light. We also tried the honey wine too. It wasn't as sweet as other honey wines so I actually like theirs more. Service was excellent. We were the only ones there when they opened at noon. This was on a weekday. Another party came later. Hope more people will come because food was excellent and service was great too. read more

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Ate here for the first time tonight. So good. I lived in East Africa for a few years and this place hits the spot. Very chill, super clean and comfortable. Excellent and friendly service. We will definitely be back. The only thing I missed was popcorn and an Ethiopian coffee. read more

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If you're looking for Ethiopian food in San Diego, look no further. This is the spot. Great service and food.

Food was just okay, not the best Ethiopian restaurant in the area. Vegan platter was bland. Disappointed that the injera was cold; other places they heat it for you or make it fresh. Pickled cabbage was strangely flavorless. Sambusa was good, nice and spicy and hot. read more

Very delicious restaurants that have vegan options. We ordered vegan platter plus a beef stew. They are so yummy! I enjoyed the all the flavors. The injera bread is amazing as well. The space is open and clean. The service is fast and friendly. I would recommend this place for sure. read more

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Thank you Solomon for an exception cultural & food experience! My friend & I came during lunchtime. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with Ethiopian art that Solomon taught us about. We were lucky enough to sit in their traditional seating area which was super unique. Many items that you see throughout the restaurant were actually imported straight from Ethiopia, wow! Solomon explained the menu to us & gave us fabulous recommendations. We started off with traditional tea & Sambusas. Careful with the Sambusas because they are very hearty & I had to stop myself from eating it all & getting stuffed. Then we were served a gigantic platter. Everything was placed on top of a layer of injera with fresh made injera on the sides. If you have not had Ethiopian food yet, you take a piece of Injera & use it to scoop up your food. We had the Vegan Platter on the outskirts, & a sampling of assorted meat dishes he recommended in the middle. My favorite one was the Doro Wot! So flavorful & tender! & at the very end, we were given their traditional coffee & wow was it amazing! It does take maybe 15 minutes to make because they steep it so make sure you have enough time to enjoy it because it was a great experience. read more

10/10 Everything is so good. I got the vegan special and loved every bit of it! Service is great as well. Spacious location and clean. I'll be back! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegan special - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

Delicious food. The veggie combo was so tasty and the portions were generous! Attentive staff. read more

I have a long history as a chef with Ethiopian food... When i was in college I ate at the spots in Hollywood on Olympic and Fairfax so often that i began to gather ingredients and recipes from the web (when the web just came out) and make it myself. Anyway when I say this is the best Ethiopian food I've ever had there is meaning behind my words. I ordered the vegan special and the kitfo. The lentils were cooked perfectly. Not a single bit of undercooked texture. What struck me was the aromatic flavors were unusually bright. Alex, one of the owners (who approached us for friendly conversation showing gratitude at the end) explained that they source the spices from the best places. That would partially explain it, the rest i attribute to the chef. Injera was perfect and sour. The kitfo was indulgent. Eating a giant serving of tartar is glorious with a massive veggie platter. The beets were unique and flavorful and i believe mixed with perfectly cooked potatoes. The coffee was wonderful. Helped us to digest and settle after this lovely meal, and the waitress gave us a to go cup to pour some of it in (it's a generous pot). We will be back! Left us both smiling. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegan platter with Kitfo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

Arrived on Friday night at 6:20pm. When we arrived it was pretty quiet, with only us and 2 other tables. More parties started coming in and it eventually became a full house. It was our second time trying Ethiopian food. Although we arrived before it was busy, our order took awhile; waited 25 mins to receive our food upon placing our order. We ordered the Vegan Special and Awaze Tibs after looking at the popular dish recommendations. Food was alright... I can see why Vegetarians or Vegans would like it. But it's not for me. Our server was a younger gentleman who appeared nice, timid, quiet and was one of very few words. At the end when we were ready for the check and a to go box, it took awhile to flag someone down. Yelp's Top 10 List was what brought us here... but Yelp done played me on this one... read more

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I ate here for the first time and loved it. It is by far, the best Ethiopian restaurant that I've eaten at in San Diego. It's clean, has a pleasant ambiance and the food was good. It was a quiet night, so it was hard to tell how the service would be, but everyone that I communicated with was friendly and gracious. read more

I tried Lucy for the first time last night. I was a regular at Mitzu, but now found a better place. We ordered a meat combination along w the vegan platter. They brought out a large platter with injera spread out. Next they brought3 meat dishes m, Doro Wot, Neche Tibs, and Sega Wot and poured them in the middle of the injera. Then they poured 4 veggies dishes Shiro (chickpea), Mesir (lentil), Yater alicha (split pea), Cabbage with carrot, and Salad around the outside. The meats were delicious! Full of flavor and each bite w injera, meat and veggies was a different taste!!! The veggie dishes were delicious with some from Mitzu I feel were better. But the meat dishes I tried were better here! The ambiance is kinda different. Some tables spread out w a bar. There were a couple of tables and stools that appeared to be traditional Ethiopian flare. At the bar were the "local" Ethiopians having drinks and talking in their native language. Service was good, although our server did not speak or understand English too well, but good enough to get our order. If you have eaten at other Ethiopian restaurants please try Lucys. If you have never eaten Ethiopian/African food you must give Lucys a try. Its fun, you eat with your hands. No forks or spoons. Injera bread, similar to a thicker spongey crepe is your vessel, kinda like a tortilla. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Deliciousness! - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

I am usually happy with the food but this time the meat platter for 2 was very disappointing. the meat was really hard to chew, brun tummy pieces and very tough. For the chicken dish there was only a very small leg and one egg with lots of sauce. I ordered this thinking that there would be meat to eat con the price of the dish!!!! very disappointed. Not sure if I would go back. read more

Hands down the best Ethiopian restaurant in San Diego! The owners and staff make you feel like family. We were there with our two young boys after the other place we attempted to go to was closed unexpectedly yet again. What a surprising find that came up on our Yelp feed! We wanted to sample everything to see what we would like for next time, so we ordered the sambusas (delicious and lightly crispy), the vegan platter, and the meat platter. There was plenty of food for the four of us, but we had two kids with us. We also tried the tej (honey wine), which we enjoyed and was poured into these flask glasses. We loved everything about it. The ambiance had the perfect setup of traditional lower seating and tables. They waived some roasted coffee throughout the restaurant and showed us before putting it on the display. Again, I can't speak highly enough of the family who runs this business. They were so warm and welcoming that I felt like we were regulars. This will be our go-to and our two boys cannot get enough. Thank you for being so kind! We will be back. read more

Ate lunch at Lucy Ethiopian with my friend. We had lentil sambusas, the vegan platter, and an additional order of lentils. The food was pretty good. The salad that came with the platter was salty for some reason. I can only assume that was a mistake. But the split peas (yater alicha), lentils (mesir), and chickpeas (shiro) were really good. The split peas were actually the best I've ever had anywhere. I didn't really like the sambusas. The atmosphere was great - I love the music and the art on the walls. Our server was really friendly and responsive. I would recommend this place and I will definitely be back. read more

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I feel like this might be my new favorite Ethiopian restaurant! Good sized portions for the veggies platter and meat platter. I liked that that platter was easily shareable and every item was very tasty! The service was pleasant, even if there was a little bit of a language barrier. Their menu was helpful to help understand what each dish consists of, too, if you're like me, still new to Ethiopian cuisine. read more