New menu has a few tweaks but the same great stuff We…read moreordered Simo veggie mix with double yellow lentils instead of red Lamb crispy Tibsy Still love this place. It has the best Ethiopian food, 100% teff injera, kind staff and a nice patio. Easy parking

I would give 6 stars if I could; this food is incredible!…read more I'm from NYC, I love Ethiopian food; I have eaten it for years in different places and this food is the most flavorful Ethiopian food I have ever had! I truly wanted to lick the plate. Abby, who is the owner and is so lovely and sweet. This is my new Ethiopian spot in the Bay!

This is one of those iconic mom and pop Oakland restaurants I absolutely adore, and it is what…read moremakes the diverse Oakland culinary landscape flourish. Located at a corner across from the DMV (on Sundays the DMV transforms into a lively farmer's market) off of Claremont, its sleepy vibes have attracted its own cult of regulars for years. Moreover, it's a quick bike trip from where we live in Jack London Sq, and I always make it a pit stop whenever we ride up Telegraph. An affordable bowl of shihan ful - a nice savory, spiced bean dip served with airy bread - can keep two hungry bellies satiated for hours. I've even tried to replicate shihan ful at home (SF Chronicles had posted a recipe) but honestly have not been successful. Best to just leave it up to the pros at Alem's. It's hard to describe the flavor but the bean dip is nourishing and bursting with umami-ness that lights up my brain, in a good way. Recommend stopping by for a bite after a leisurely stroll at the Sunday Temescal Farmer's Market.

I was really excited to check out Alems because of the high ratings and because I love…read moreEritrean/Ethiopian breakfast. The food is good, but kinda expensive for what it is. The main problem is the service here. Every time I've been to Alem's they have forgotten my order. After ordering at the register ive sat down at a table waited 30-45 minutes and watched as they immediately serve regulars/friends that ordered well after me. Every time ive been Ive had to go back up to the register to remind them of my order and see that they have clearly forgotten about my order. This has happened THREE TIMES NOW. This last time we ordered to go: they forgot our order, we reminded them, and after waiting 45 minutes seeing people order and get thier food before us they still forgot a portion of our order. The food is good, kinda expensive for what it is, and you have to really remind them of your order if you arent in the inner circle. There's a clear distinction between the regulars/friends and everyone else. I won't be returning

This place is special. This evening 4 friends who are loved like family and myself sat down to eat…read moreand share our recent experiences/discoveries in this thing we call life. We were quickly seated. Shortly after we were given our water. As we pondered the delectable menu one member of our group brought our attention to the beautiful artwork surrounding those eating. The images are breathtaking portraits of individuals who look to be part of the Eritrean community. Sounds of laughter from the surrounding tables and feelings of safety from the peaceful internal environment embraced us as we looked. Then the food came out. It was full of color and there was clearly intentionality behind the presentation. Upon tasting the dish, flavors of savory seasonings, fresh vegetables, and soft injera filled the mouth. It was more than enough food for us all and we ended up taking left overs. If you are near the area I HIGHLY recommend paying this spot a visit.

One of the best and our favorite Habesha restaurants in Oakland. The food is authentic, injera is…read morealways good and not heavy. The prices are fair and the portion is a lot more than most restaurants. The service, ambiance, everything is great and the art is beautiful. it's a gem and must try! 10/10

Lemat is such a staple. We ordered a beef sambusa as a starter (3 pieces) and shared a meat combo…read morebetween two people. They are always ready to refresh your injera supply (no extra charge!) and the flavors are lovely.

Solid combo meals, with tasty and fresh eats, but a bit pricey for quantity of food. It's filling,…read morebut the most recent go around, portions weren't as robust. At $20, it's a bit steep for small scoops of veggies on the veggie combo. The injera is gluten free and well made, but that's what you're filling up on. The space is large and has ambiance. Service is solid and friendly. Overall, a solid Ethiopian experience with some parking in the front.

The guys at Jerusalem Coffee recommended for my friends & I to walk over to Asmara for dinner when…read moreI said I have not had Eritrean food before. They said Eritrean is very similar to Ethiopian food so we finished our beverages & headed down Telegraph to Asmara. We were delighted when we were told to wait at the bar next door until they have a large table for our group. I asked the server to bring us their popular dishes, enough to feed 7 adults and she told me not to worry, that she would take care of it. She brought out the Meat Combo and the Beef/chicken/lamb tibs along with platter of veggies and eggplant. She gave us enough injera to keep us munching away. The food and service were Fabulous so naturally we had a great evening.

$7 Asmara Lager (Eritrean): refreshing, slightly bitter, fruity, malty…read more $18 Vegi Combo: good! Can eat again but for me, it's not my favorite way to eat vegan.

So many vibes. I've been here but it's been a long time. In fact it was in their old location. Met…read moreup with some friends. They are vegetarian and we eat meat. So 3 of us ordered 2 meat dishes and they 3, ordered vegetarian dishes. We also ordered samoses (2 orders) and 2 lattes, and 2 baklava. Oh, they also ordered the stuffed jalapeño dish, which surprise was hot. All the food was delicious, even the two teenagers with us liked the food. It's got a good vibe inside and despite there being a pretty constant line we were seated within 15 mins. I would absolutely go back. Also - order the coffee, was hit with wonderful flavors served in this awesome ceramic mug.

My first time trying Ethiopian food and I LOVED IT!!…read more The dishes are FULL of flavor! This family run cafe has been serving up East African cuisine in Oakland since 1991! Each dish was loaded with spices and I'm going to say it again, soooo much flavor. To be honest, we had no idea what to order or where to even start, so we got the sampler that our server recommended and it was soooo good. It was also a fun experience because we got to eat with our hands lol. If you're like us and completely clueless, go with the meat sampler because for $23, you get a HUGE portion and then can figure out which items are your favorites for next time. What we ordered: Meat Sampler ($23) * Doro Wot - spicy, slow simmered chicken stew * Doro Alicha - chicken stew in turmeric-based sauce * Sega Alicha - spicy beef stew * Minchet Wot - minced beef stew * Gomen - stewed collard greens We also got their Sambussas (half lentil and half beef), which were similar to samosas. Both their mocktails and cocktails were really well made too. I loved how they incorporated spices into the drink too, which was pretty unique.  So if you're looking for a fun date night or just to try something new, definitely bookmark this place!

Love this spot the people are super friendly and have little holiday events. Kitfo and Chicken tibs…read morewith veggie platter is our go to. Have been eating here for 7 years and it's consistently tasty. Honey wine and their teas are also great.

Addis Ethiopian Restaurant was such a great experience. The food was rich in flavor, fresh, and…read moresuper comforting you can really taste the quality and seasonings in every bite. Everything paired perfectly with the injera, and the portions were filling and worth it. The service was also friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. If you're craving Ethiopian food or want to try something new, Addis is definitely a spot I'd recommend. I'll be back fr fr

Five stars and a very full stomach. We walked in right when they opened and they were already…read morefiring on all cylinders. Food came out fast and the injera was bottomless, which is dangerous knowledge to have. We ordered two vegetarian combos served family style and I briefly considered canceling all future meals. Everything was rich, flavorful, and deeply satisfying. The spicy dishes had just the right amount of kick, exciting but not "why did I do this to myself" spicy. Prices aren't everyday cheap for me, but compared to most Berkeley spots it felt totally fair. Friendly service, pleasant atmosphere, and I will 100 percent return.

The food here is very warm, comforting, and filling. I recommend the huad'de and vegetarian meals,…read moreand then tell them you want it family-style so it comes together on a big platter. This is a good place to grab a meal with your friends or for a luncheon, for a cheap price as well (around $16 a platter, fills 2-3 people per platter). The indoor dining and patio are regularly cleaned and the place is cozy! Service is a bit slow but only because of understaffing, and the staff is very polite and helpful!

Veggie sampler tasted great, servers were very nice, and the place has a cozy homey vibe to it…read more Would definitely recommend.

Had a taste for breakfast this morning, and wanted something new. I decided to check out this…read moreHabesha spot I've driven past a few times. I'm glad I did. The food was tasty, spiced right and not too heavy. Just what I wanted this morning.

Went with a friend. It was amazing, highly recommend. I've actually been back a few times with…read morefamily 5 starts good price too

If you like variety on a plate and communal gathering this can be a spot. I like variety so my…read morebrother and I went for the vegetarian and meat combo platter. You get a little bit of everything more or less and you get injera bread with it, all meal comes with injera which is amazing. The presentation is eye appealing. Colour is there. You get a bed of a large round of injera and you get all your goods there. My favourite was the yellow lentils and the cabbage-carrot-potato vegetable in turmeric I think. Service was direct nothing special. I heard we can get unlimited bread but a basket of just 1 round was more than enough for 2 people. Ambiance is nice. There's incense and a lot of colourful art. Nice patio for the summer time. I think this is a nice place for an intro to Ethiopian food. It's also in the Michelin world, maybe that can say something. AC transit bus 6 and 22 come near here