Call ahead to see if they actually have food. I took my family here, but it was grocery items only, with no food.

Cash Only, 1-woman ran shop. I really wanted to like this place since it is a small business. But it really was lackluster. I ordered the veggie combo that came with: misir wot(spicy red lentils), kik alicha (yellow split peas), gomen wat (the collard greens-esque dish), and atakilt wat (cabbage and carrot no potato here) The lentils in the misir wot unfortunately were more al dente than pasta. Meaning, the lentils were basically undercooked. No one likes undercooked legumes. It's chalky and hard and not fun to eat. The flavors were good. The other dishes were ok too. The greens weren't stewed for a long time. The split peas, mushy and full of flavor. The injera was authentic, sour and tangy. A bit too sour for my taste. Some will like that. I would definitely come out of my way here to pick up injera. I believe it is a pack for 8 dollars. It was bordering good and okay I was lazy and curious. Didn't want to drive to Fairfax and wanted to try this place out. I should've driven to Messob. For 12 bucks I got the combo and one of the items weren't cooked properly. I don't think I'll be coming back. Parking: forget about it. It's a seedy area and parking super far is kind of scary. No parking lot. Street parking that is always full. read more

First time having Ethiopian food and it did not disappoint! Yes this restaurant is indeed a "hole in the wall" but isn't that a tell tale sign of great food?My party of three sat comfortably in the small dining area (large parties beware), it seems like many people order to-go. There was only one kind lady manning the restaurant when we arrived on a Saturday afternoon and the dining experience felt intimate, like being invited to eat at someone's house. We ordered and waited for the waitress/chef/hostess to cook the food, and within 10-15 minutes we were served. We ordered the Yawaze Tibs and the Vegatable Combo and it was a lot of food. The Tibs was delicious and I highly recommend ordering it. I'm a big fan of sour foods so I enjoyed the Injera very much. Had leftovers to go and I look forward to coming back here in the future. Thanks for the experience! Notes: Street parking. Cash only. Bottled Water $1 read more

Melkam Ethiopian Restaurant - Yawaze Tibs in the middle, Veggie Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We showed her a picture that was on yelp and she knew exactly what it was. Amazing food!!! It's no fancy place, literally a hole in a wall joint. Which are always the best! :) read more

Melkam Ethiopian Restaurant - After - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Great surprise in the area it is both a small supermarket and a restaurant. The food portions are good size and the staff is very friendly.

What happens when you have a holiday, spend the morning working out, and the afternoon in the spa? You drive to find a great hearty meal. Buy then your car breaks down on the freeway, and then you have to get towed to your mechanic, and then you have to walk 2 miles to your bus, and you are so hungry you could eat a truck. We were luckier than that, and found a small storefront on Pico that said, "Ethiopian Food." Four small tables in a brightly painted, fluorescent-lit room, an inviting counter, and the delirious smell of curries, spices, and yummy stuff wafting from the kitchen. The menu is limited to the basics, and we ordered the Vegetarian Combo. Granted, we were hungry, but it was the best Ethiopian food we've had a while. We could hear the food sauteeing after we ordered it The greens were perfectly cooked and fresh. The cabbage was buttery. The yellow lentils were a little peanutty tasting - and well flavored. The red lentil curry was absolutely perfect and spicy. One combo fed two hungry women, with two bottled waters, we left paying only $12 and tip. Seems to be the neighborhood spot to pick up large bags of fresh injera to take home to dinner as well. A one-woman show while we were there - and she was a wonderful chef and host. Thank you! read more

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Melkam is a truly small business with a single lady usually working the counter and kitchen. It is on a small block with other businesses that serve the local Ethiopian diaspora community. The food is delicious, and portions are generous (you'll be eating tibs and injera for days). Not all the menu items are available everyday (call ahead to see if what you're looking for is on tap). This is a neighborhood gem for those living in/near Ktown who are craving Ethiopian food but don't want to go all the way out to Fairfax. read more

A simple spot - a grocery and restaurant that is CASH only. If you don't have cash, there is an ATM at the liquor store next door ($3 atm charge :( )No menu available so be prepared for an engaging conversation as what you will receive is based on what ingredients are available for the day. Great price of $10 for a veggie special. I ordered my food to go and although I was a bit disappointed when I opened the box to see there were only two mains of lentils and split peas and a small amount of collards and cabbage...the flavors and spices of the food blew me away. I have never tasted cloves be used for lentils before and was pleasantly surprised. Also, I was able to get full and have enough to save for at least one more additional meal. Don't expect much when it comes to appearance of this place but do know the food is worth it. read more

So good and seriously home made. Brought my friend who never had Ethiopian food and she was impressed. I had the veggie plate and it was so large I made a second meal from the leftovers. Small place makes you feel like your grandma's kitchen. Will be back when I'm in the neighborhood. read more

This is as authentic as it gets! She's a sweet lady, and her prices are reasonable. Best Ethiopian restaurant I've been to, Definitely will come as often as I can! read more

The food here is so good , but the lady was extremely rude to me . I asked for my food to go and she just grabbed the plate and threw it in my face. I did nothing to her that would've gotten her upset and she still didn't even pack my lunch. Amazing food but bad service read more

The food here is delicious! I went in wanting doro wat. But she didn't have any prepared...I was there pretty early. She was able to provide me w a vegetarian plate and for 10 bucks I was able to make 3 meals out of it. So much food and so delicious. It came with plenty of injera bread and about 4 different veggie and bean dishes. I wished I lived closer to frequent this place more. Very small eating area so your best bet is to take it to go. Delicious! read more

The food here is just as good as anything you can get in little Ethiopia.. plus it's super cheap! You can feed 3 people for like $20 and still have leftovers! It's amazing. read more

I love Ethiopia food and I think I've tried almost every Ethiopia restaurant in LA. This by far is one of my favorite restaurants. It's the home cooked flavor that makes me love this place. read more

On Memorial Day, we were craved for Ethiopian food and found that perfect restaurant. We really enjoyed eating that delicious plate--veggie(two lentils, cabbage, and spinach) combo and cubed beef. Those were very tasty and spicy. The restaurant was cozy and great for a few people such as couples. Staff were super friendly. I would highly recommend that restaurant. We were glad that they opened on holiday day. :) read more

Melkam Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is definitely a hole in the wall! The food was very good, but there was only one woman working and it is CASH ONLY. The menu did not offer many options, but I have found with Ethiopian food, it always tastes delicious. Very good food, but expect a wait and limited options. read more

This place is delicious. Great service and a great range of options. I've been to a few Ethiopian restaurants on Fairfax and this is definitely one of my favorites!!!! Very tasty food. read more

Sometimes its just nice to have a nice, simple, clean place that is away from other similar restaurants to order good food. This is what Melkam restaurant is all about. Lots of Injera to buy...since there is a large Eritrean/Ethiopian enclave right down the street. Not fancy like "Food by Genet" or large like LE rest. or Nyala or any other Ethiopian rest. on Faifax Blvd. The older lady ( who does not speak much Eng.) is very friendly and accommodating. Will definitely take friends to eat there. read more

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Very good food Quiet cozy place I came here randomly with my wife, looking for a new experience. The place is very quaint. The owner who I presume is also the cool, waiter, dishwasher and everything else, is very nice. The menu is small but they have a few vegetarian and meat offerings. Anyway a good sampling of Ethiopian food. Come here if you want a cozy atmosphere and decent Ethiopian food. read more

So delicious! Injara made fresh on site! It is a small place with big flavor. We had the vegetarian plate. Oh my! Every bite is a flavor explosion. The lentils were especially tasty. It is a small family owned place with no menu. But don't worry the warm hospitable staff will help you figure out what to get if you are not familiar with Ethiopian cuisine. read more

Ring the bell if no one's out front... they're probably doing stuff in the back. Or, grab a menu from the counter, decide what you want, and then ring the bell. The older lady doesn't speak much English, but there's a younger woman who does, so just keep it simple. I only saw Ethiopian people come/go. They're a small shop/restaurant but they had a consistent trickle of people coming just to buy bags of fresh injera. There's no ambiance, there's a tv running, there's a few small tables with 2 chairs each... really low key. One combo is probably plenty for 2 people. It'd be cool if they had half/smaller portions. I got the beef bits combo, which was cubed bits of beef, a side of salad, and plenty of injera (spongy thin-pancake-like bread thing). I was advised by a couple of (really nice) ethiopian guys eating there not to get the spicy version, but rather get the regular version with the spicy stuff on the side... good advice. I'm guessing injera+stuff is what Ethiopian people eat day in, day out. It was really good, really simple food. Everything was fresh. You eat everything with your hands (youtube it) I'm looking forward to coming back and trying their other options. Looks like a great place if you're vegetarian. read more

Yo this is the best Ethiopian restaurant in L.A! The service is great--probably because it is family owned. They were all super sweet and I had the best time. I had a spicy chicken stew called doro wet- 10/10 read more

This place is delicious! Total mom and pop but food is on point. They make the teff injera there so it's pretty fresh and tasty. Their prices are also great! read more

Good family restaurant, came here work my kids, they loved the "doro wet", if was a good amount of spice.

Approx half block west of Western on South side. Noticed it about 3 or 4 months ago, but finally stopped in last night. (If you want fancy, go to Meals by Genet on Fairfax- which we do highly recommended, actually!) If you want cheap, close, delicious, clean and UNfancy, this is the place. There was a menu, but the adorable owner, Tsedey told us they only had one item available, so- we ordered two! 15 minutes later, she popped out of the kitchen with small strips of beef (zilzil tibs) sauteed with spices and butter- a subtle smoked flavor was a lovely surprise, as was the bright orangey-yellow dressing on the salad- a lovely flavoring of unknown spices that was perfect for dipping into with the extra injera. Tsedey doesn't speak much English and we speak no Amharic, so I am not entirely sure of her hours of operation- Street parking, dining room is small & clean, if a little bit bleak. Very happily for us though- no blaring TV- in fact- no TV at all! It might be noisy with lots of customers, but it was perfectly quiet with just us. Give her a try if you are up for an adventure! Tsedey was really lovely and we look forward to stopping in for another meal soon- whatever it is, i am sure it will be delicious- Recommended for sure! read more