Friendly, warm service. Food was amazing, and the flavors were great. It was quiet and chill in the…read morerestaurant. Definitely a gem in Washington Heights.

Wow, this place checks all the boxes. The food was delicious - even my kids loved it. The…read morerestaurant is cozy and clean, even the restroom which is on the smaller side The waitresses (owners?) were friendly, responsive, and warm. They were especially friendly with my kids who surprised us by how much they enjoyed the food. The menu includes enough gluten free / dairy free options to feel like a gf/df person doesn't need to compromise to eat well. This place is a gem.

Dang. If you have to…read morebe trapped in suburban NJ, you could do a lot, LOT worse than Walia. I'm still a little floored at how NOT compromised the flavors here were--how I ate some of the most complex, deeply seasoned Ethiopian dishes I've ever had here. But you know what IS just like NYC able Walia? The prices. I nearly had sticker shock from the $33+/entree pricing that dominated the menu. Ahhhh, the pain in my wallet felt just like home. Anywho, at least the food was delicious and plentiful. The standout for me was Kitfo--always my favorite Ethiopian dish--which was beautifully seasoned, incredibly tasty and blissfully abundant. We also ordered the Lega Tibs, which was nicely tender and completely devoid of gamey lamb flavor. To balance out the all the carne, we practically ordered a garden of fiber. All our vegetarian dishes were well cooked, especially the Fasolia (mildly simmered string beans and carrots), Tkile Gomen (the classic mix of cabbage, carrots and potatoes), and both Watts (lentil stews, baby!). We also splurged on the Kayser Watt, a unique combination of beets and potatoes that I don't see often at Ethiopian joints--however, while it was expertly made, I didn't think it was worth the extra spend. The same goes for the Ethiopian Chai; not particularly interesting or complex, and I certainly wouldn't pay extra to order it a second time unless I just really needed a warm mug to hold. Service was warm and friendly, and the decor is cute without being kitschy. Bottom line: Enjoy a more unique cuisine in a rather mundane part of the state, but don't be surprised if you stretch your credit card limit just as badly as you would in the Big Apple.

I cannot believe how many years it has been since I have updated my review for Walia. Since my…read moreoriginal review five years ago, I have gone back to Walia repeatedly and over the years it has become my absolute favorite Ethiopian restaurant within a respectable driving distance of where I live (which I define as about 30 minutes). I am happy to say that almost everything I said in my last review still rings true. The decor has changed a bit, with new paintings hanging and the seats getting rearranged now and then as reservations demand, but for the most part the restaurant still looks and feels the same as before. It is a comforting, welcoming yet elegant restaurant in its own way. It isn't super fancy, which is great because it makes it appropriate for everything from a casual date night to a birthday party. The service at Walia continues to be fantastic. Their staff is always friendly, accommodating and willing to answer questions. They are also very nice about getting you extra Injira bread (as I do every time I'm there). The food at Walia is amazing. Everything is flavorful and the spices are wonderful (I generally keep the heat at medium level). The Alicha Watt (pumpkin) remains one of my favorite dishes and I often take an order of it to go whenever I eat here. Walia is a wonderful business and I highly encourage everyone to support it!

The food was great here and my only complaint is that there is no liquor license. I was looking…read moreforward to some nice honey wine with my meal. The service was great from the door to the plate. The hostess greeted us with a giant smile and we were sat down immediately without reservation. Which is a plus on a Saturday night. Our waiter was nice as well and offered a nice drink substitution for the honey wine. I can't recall the name of the drink but it was a hibiscus tea with honey. We ordered the entree where we could try a little of everything. The ambiance of the place was good. The place embodied the right about of light. It wasn't too dark or too bright and there wasn't loud music where you can have a conversation. If you like Ethiopian food, it's definitely worth the try because the food and experience was great!

I had never had Ethiopian food before. So my friend suggested, we try this restaurant out that she…read morehad been to several times before. Cozy spot with great service, attentive and helpful with suggestions and explanations I like that the food had the authentic names to each dish.Even though it was hard to decipher what exactly each dish was, it stayed true to the culture which I can appreciate. I have to admit the food is not very photogenic, but it did taste good. I feel like we got to try a little of everything by getting the sampler options. I would highly recommend taking that option when trying for the first time. I also ordered the mint tea, which was a great choice because it was so warm and comforting, especially with the cold rainy day we visited. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who's never tried Ethiopian food before.

When we were toddlers, it was natural to eat with our hands…read more But as soon as we managed to hold a fork and spoon, we were expected to use utensils. As children and adults, using your hands to eat was frowned upon. Fried chicken and a few other dishes were exceptions. Although, to be honest, I'm one of the few people in the world who grew up eating fried chicken with a knife and fork. Let me introduce you to Ethiopian food, where utensils aren't usually used. I guess you could call it a hands on experience. The best way to experience it in central New Jersey is at Dashen Ethiopian Cuisine in New Brunswick. https://www.dashenethiopiannj.com/ Dashen, managed by a husband and wife team - Alemayehu Hailu and Tsigereda Lemlemayehu, also offers a full bar and a big screen TV for sports events. It is a delightful place for a special meal. They also do catering. The meal starts with injera - a spongy, fermented flatbread that is spread over a large serving plate. The other foods are placed on top of this sort of sour dough bread. All of the dishes - meats and vegetables - are well cooked with fragrant sauces. They are served with a pile of folded injera. How do you eat it? You rip off a piece of injera and use it to grab some meats or vegetables or scoop them up. Then you pop it into your mouth. The sourly fermented bread and other dishes make a great combination. Whether you go for meat or vegetables, the keys here are the spices. There's a chicken dish called Doro Wot. It is simmered in a special spice sauce with onions, garlic and ginger. And served with a hard boiled egg. There are dishes of cubed beef and ground beef, and lamb. There's a lamb stew called Yebeg Alicha with onions, garlic, ginger, peppers, turmeric and other spices. The same spices can be applied to a fish fillet, salmon or shrimp. But my favorites are the vegetables. There's Misir Wot, split lentils simmered with special spices, onions, garlic, tomatoes and ginger. Gomen is collard greens with onions, spices, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and jalapenos. Tikal Gomen is cabbage with the same spice combination. Kik Wot is yellow split peas cooked with garlic, ginger, tomatoes and special spices. Dinich Alicha looks like a mixed vegetable plate with potatoes, carrots, string beans, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and spices. The food can be very spicy or quite mild. Talk to your server so you order the dishes that are to your taste. The best way to eat Ethiopian food is on a combination plate. Go with a small group of friends. Have a combination plate of meat dishes. Order another combination plate of vegetarian dishes. That will give you eight to 10 different dishes to sample. Different beans and meats and vegetables. There's a variety of textures and flavors. And eat it slowly. In fact, don't just eat it. Savor it. Really enjoy each delicious taste. Eating Ethiopian food at Dashen is not just a meal. It's an experience. You can get takeout or delivery. But it is so much better in the restaurant. I urge you to get out of your culinary rut and visit Dashen. Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant & Bar 88 Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 732-249-0494 They are closed Mondays.

I went here with a friend on a Sunday and I loved my meal. I had the shrimp wot and it was very…read moreflavorful and delicious. The portions were generous and the waitress was very friendly and attentive. The spiced tea was good. I enjoyed the atmosphere which was dark and cozy but classy. We went for lunch and didn't have to wait for a table. My friend had the special kitfo and loved the collard greens but felt the cheese and meat were a bit bland but she loved my entree and said she's going to get that next time.

SERVICE - located in greenpoint about 10 minutes walk from…read morethe subway station - spacious yet small interior with seating for small or larger groups - no reservation required - coffee set up in one corner adds an element of cultural decor - server was quick to take our order yet took a while to bring us the check after we finished eating - food served relatively quickly - ambiance good for a semi casual meal MENU - Ethiopian mains and brunch specials - all vegan/vegetarian - average price FOOD - vegetable combo (9/10): I got the combo that lets you choose five dishes and is served with injera. I chose the misir wor (red lentils), shiro (ground chickpeas), gomen (collard greens), tofu tibs, and cabbage carrot dish. The mixture was a good blend of heartier lentils with fresher greens. Each dish had a unique flavor even though they use similar spices. My favorites were the shiro and the tofu tibs. The gomen felt undercooked and could have used more flavor. The portion felt adequate for one person. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes. I liked the flavors and the casual ambiance

I was excited to try this place despite the trek but was sadly disappointed. Definitely not as good…read moreas my go-to Ethiopian spots (like Abyssinia), or even as the mediocre spots in midtown (like Queen of Sheba and Meskerem). Everything tasted a little drier than usual. Also it's vegan so you won't get your usual meat options. The wine was also disappointing though to be fair I didn't expect too much. Finally, reservations are a pain to make - no one answers the phone or responds to emails and you can't make them online. Fortunately it turns out you don't need one (the place was empty when we arrived for a 12:30pm lunch on a summer Friday). Sadly won't be returning.

There should be long lines to eat here... although part of me wants to keep this gem a secret!…read moreAbsolutely delicious from start to finish, with an explosion of flavors in every bite. You can truly taste the freshness and care in every dish and sauce, all made in-house. The owner is incredibly kind and welcoming, greeting everyone with the warmest smile and making the whole experience feel special from the moment you walk in. We chose to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather, but the spacious indoor dining room was just as inviting, filled with incredible aromas that instantly set the stage for a memorable meal. We started with Dominican appetizers and fresh juices, then shared Ethiopian platters that were packed with flavor and perfect for the table. Everything was outstanding, unique, and clearly made with love. We're already looking forward to coming back!

authentic Ethiopian food. absolutely delicious. its served with injera and the salad is wonderful…read more my entire family looks forward to eating there. last night one of our group tried the Dominican beef stew and loved it and shared beans and rice with 6 year old

The food was so tasty! We ate it all. I am quite pleased with my choice of an Ethiopian spot to…read morecatch up with a friend. It was quiet enough to have a conversation. The service was cheerful. It was overall a great experience!

Given all the positive reviews, we had been excited to try Benyam for some time. Our go-to…read moreLucille's across the street was recently closed for a private event, so it seemed like a great opportunity to finally give it a shot. The misir wot and creamy lentil dishes were all generally very tasty. Along with the potatoes and fasulye, these were probably our favorite items. The gomen and cabbage were fairly standard. I have to say that we left here still very hungry, after sharing the vegetarian sampler for two. The portions of both the vegetable dishes and the injera on the side were quite small, and we wished we had been advised to order more.

This would be a 5 star Ethiopian restaurant even if it wouldn't be the only one between NYC and New…read moreHaven. Starting with the menu that has clearly marked vegan options (not a surprise since Ethiopian cuisine is very vegan friendly), continuing with the high quality ingredients and perfectly spiced dishes to ambiance and service which is always great even when full. If you live nearby, this is one of those restaurants that you find yourself visiting at least a few times a month and ordering delivery just as many times.

Thank goodness for Teff. Traveling with food sensitivities as a foodie doesn't always go hand in…read morehand, but Teff proved they absolutely can. If you're in Stamford, do yourself a favor and stop by Teff for authentic Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. Everything is fresh, naturally gluten free, and there are plenty of delicious vegan options. Dining there felt less like eating at a restaurant and more like being welcomed to the family table. And whatever you do, don't skip the Sambusas!

Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant wasn't bad but it didn't particularly stand out to me for Ethiopian…read morerestaurants, especially when there are options like the Bunna Cafe in NYC to which Abyssinia pales in comparison. My friends and I ordered both the meat sambusa and vegetable sambusa to start. The former was definitely tastier than the latter which was unfortunately quite dry. As for our mains, we shared the beef (I'm forgetting exactly which one) but it wasn't memorable as easily 70% of it was solely onions. Sure the meat and lentils given to accompany were tasty but I felt ripped off at the end. In addition to this, the injera wasn't great and didn't taste fresh. All in all, I wouldn't go back since there are much better options in NYC.

First time ordering delivery from this reasonably priced Harlem restaurant. Ordered 2 Abyssinia…read moreVeggie Combos + 3 sambusas + extra order of yellow lentils + extra order of stewed cabbage/carrots + 2 orders of injera. They hooked the injera uuuuup. Abyssinia food exceeds my previous favorite Ethiopian restaurant. I usually don't like beets but their soft, sweeter version was killer, as were the stewed vegetables, lentil dishes, sambusas, and tomato/onion salad. Portions were huge, flavors were hearty and satisfying. On the short list of great Ethiopian spots my boyfriend has discovered so far!