Delicious food and great prices! The Ethiopian food here is great with generous portions. My wife and I enjoyed a lunch here and were pleasantly surprised with the taste and options. We had to wait a little longer than we would have at a chain restaurant since this is a family run cafe; however, the friendly staff and home-cooked food more than made up for a minor wait time. Honestly, it was nice to relax in the cozy seats and just chat. Definitely a must for anyone who enjoys good Ethiopian food or a leisurely/romantic meal together! read more

Came in last night to try This style of food for first time. Highlights are: very clean dining area, nothing fancy. Was greeted by a nice older lady. We got the chai it was delicious and I loved how it was served in unique cups and had s nice stainless pot. Dinner was different be advised they don't use utensils so you will eat with hands. No complaints with this food bc I've never had it before so I don't know any different. What I can say is it was delicious and had unique flavors. read more

Coming from California and having a plethora of restaurants to choose from we were highly disappointed when moving to town. This is the only Ethiopian restaurant in the area. It does not compare, and is no where near my top 10 favorite I've tried. The restaurant is located in what appears to be an office building, in the parking lot of a strip mall. The food was bland, the cultural atmosphere was lacking, and the customer service was typical for the area (nonexistent). And on top of all that, pretty pricey. They had the typical dishes that most Ethiopian restaurants do but serving sizes were small and injera was cold. Will we eat here again, probably not. I'd rather travel north a couple hours to see what they have to offer up there. read more

Simply awesome! This was my first time trying Ethiopian cuisine. The lady there was so polite and sweet. She suggested me the best according to my taste. I am so so full but so happy. So fresh and tasty! I am definitely coming back! :) read more

Mar. 16, 2017: Very good veggies! You eat with your hands using injera to pick up the different variety of foods. They do NOT sell alcohol. The lamb was delicious but just not a decent portion size of meat. The beef was under cooked and rubbery. Place was clean and service was okay. Server could have been a little more inviting especially to new customers. read more

Hooray for Ethiopian in Hampton Roads!!! Especially appreciate their being accommodating to kids and making recommendations. LOVED the Ful... we'll be back! read more

I love to visit Virginia Beach and happen to be craving Ethiopian food. I arrived at this cafe. It is a very small hole in the wall kinda place. I ordered the lamb and though it was tasty; it was tough which is unusual for lamb. In turn, the service was scarce. The waiter never offered me more water and the place is so small no more than 8 people max was in there on Sunday. Also, when he first brought the ticket to me, it said 16.91 total. After he took my VISA card and processed the payment; the receipt came back 18.91. I didn't agree to a tip. I don't do business like that and with tough lamb, cramped corners, no extra water, and taking additional money out of my account without my permission---I will not be returning:-( read more

Food was sooooooooooooooooo delicious, authentic, and rich. The atmosphere was also culturally well executed! If you like A/C establishments please beware that there is none and it furthers the cultural experience when eating the food. I would definitely go back. I only gave 4 stars because of the A/C because the establishment is small and seating is limited when full and hot outside it can get rather uncomfortable. read more

We came here with a Groupon and was excited to try this place since it's got good reviews. I've had Ethiopian food and love all types of cuisines. The food was good but what made it "average" for me was the temperature and time it took to get to our table. We waited over an hour...1 and 15 mins to be exact. There were two tables of 1 and 2 diners..our party was 2 and 1 child. The chicken nuggets for my daughter was the same exact thing i serve at home, Tyson's. If you're bringing small kids, pack their own food. It tasted microwaved as opposed to baked, soggy and just blah. As we were eating, 2-3 more parties came in and that's when i noticed the hostess was also cooking with the one person in the kitchen. Service was courteous but painfully slow. We won't be back. read more

This restaurant goes skimpy on the food and you do not get your money's worth. One of the young waitresses had horrible service and was racist. She never asked if we wanted a drink refill and completely ignored us. In fact I had to call her for assistance. If you want good food and service do not go here. If you want good Ethiopian food go to Blue Nile or somewhere else. read more

Excellent service, wholesome atmosphere, and exceptional food!!! Highly recommend this restaurant!

Amazing food. We split the combination plate and it was delicious. The service is very friendly and the restaurant is family owned. One of the best meals in hampton roads. read more

Someone mentioned new management and that is why it is bad NOW. This is a recent review and I can agree. It must have been the owner...she didn't speak English well, was watching TV and visiting with friends the whole meal. She took 45 minutes to bring me my bill. I asked for it 3 times. She also said "no dessert"! Despite rave reviews on the tiramusu cake etc. The first bill she brought out was for $15 for meal. The next one with the help of another worker was $26. Did they put the tip in the total..I don't know. The portion size was extremely small as well. I paid $15 and got ONE drumstick in my meal. So disappointed. I was truly looking forward to this gem in the local area. read more

Take it from an Ethiopian.This is as close as it gets to the original. I always enjoy coming to Mesob

Delicious. Great food. Nice people. So grateful to have amazing Ethiopian right in my neighborhood!

This place was amazing! Mesob Cafe aka A & N Cafe is definitely a place I will come back to again and again. This was my first time trying Ethiopian food although I was familiar with the names of a number of the dishes although I'm not sure I can pronounce them properly. I studied Hebrew in college and fell in love with Semitic languages, and since then I have wanted to study Amharic and other Ethiopian languages. Well, in the process of reading about Amharic I became fascinated with Ethiopian culture in general and this along with my general love of good food led me here. I love Indian food, and although there are some similarities between Indian and Ethiopian/Eritrean food they are also quite different. If you like Indian food then I cannot see why you would not like Ethiopian food. However, if you like Ethiopian food then it is likely that you would enjoy Indian food, but I cannot guarantee it. Indian food uses more funky spices than Ethiopian food that some Americans do not appreciate. The injera (Ethiopian flatbread, sorta) is in a class all its own. It tastes somewhat like a sourdough crepe or how I would imagine it would taste except injera is better. Injera works much better for picking up bits of food and mopping up juices than many of the Indian flatbreads. I wanted to try a variety of Ethiopian dishes so I went with the Ye Fesig Beyaynatu which included Doro Wot (thick and spicy chicken stew with a hard boiled egg), Siga Wot (thick and spicy beef stew), Kik Alicha (yellow split peas), and cabbage and carrots. I must clarify that when I say "stew" or "wot" as it is known in Ethiopia is not like stew in the American sense, but closer in thickness and texture to what an American would call curry. My host warned me the the Doro Wot and Siga Wot were spicy, and they certainly were, but not too spicy and you could still taste the meat and other flavors. To provide some context, I am not the kind of person who eats a habanero just for fun, but I might add some diced jalapenos to a dish for some spice. I found the food pleasantly spicy such that it satisfied my desire for something spicy, but was not so hot as to be unenjoyable. It is a lot of food and could easily be shared with another person or saved for tomorrow's lunch if you order extra injera. The coffee was fantastic as well, nice strong and flavorful served in a beautiful Ethiopian coffee pot with a tiny ceramic cup, quite charming. The rest of the decor made this place absolutely beautiful as well. Please give this place a try, they are clearly one of the best restaurants in Virginia Beach. read more

Happy to have found this gem of a restaurant. Owners/staff are very helpful and friendly. The food is delicious... From lamb, steak, or chicken dishes coated with spiced sauces to the various tasty veggie sides (which can make a delicious vegetarian meal).. All eaten with spongy bread which soaks up all the flavors... Chase it down with Ethiopian coffee or tea to complete a perfect meal. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and they have a kids menu with traditional kiddie fare so you don't need to worry about getting your child to eat injera and lamb tibs (though they would probably love it!) This restaurant was a delight and I hope others in Hampton Roads find their way to it. read more

Favorite restaurant, great people, great atmosphere, and great food! Great vegan selection too.

Excellent Ethiopian. Great service. Food is fantastic. The veggie dishes are all vegan. Love this place. We're staying in Sandbridge on the beach, totally worth the 40 minute drive! read more

We really enjoy coming here. The food is fantastic and always fresh. It's clean and service is always friendly. We have been here several times and have never been disappointed. read more

Excellent customer service!! Clean Environment, The food is delicious ,very fresh and aromatic spices the smell is inviting!! Definitely i Recommend!!! read more

Love this place so much. I was so excited when I found it. The closest Ethiopian restaurant I knew of was in Richmond. I love the casual atmosphere. The food is my favorite. I get the meat sampler with spicy lentils and cabbage. It's my favorite lunch/dinner. read more

So good I wanted to cry. I grew up with Ethiopian food and this place is legit! I had coffee and the vegan trio, which were wonderful. Planning on going back and making my way through the menu. read more

Love it !! Did a wonderful job catering my son's birthday party. Food was delicious!

Only Ethiopian restaurant in here and it serves it's purpose. Lots of menu options and polite staff.

What it may lack for exterior design, they make up for it tremendously with their food. Just walking in, the smell of spices hit your nose and you know you are in the right place. Traditionally, you eat with your hands and as long as you have plenty of napkins, you couldnt have more fun! The lamb nibs were so tender and full of flavor along with the lentil stew, salad, and the chicken and beef combo. Try the Ethiopian coffee if you enjoy black coffee! Yum! read more

Great food and cheap prices! Food WILL take a minute to get out because it is being made fresh. Well worth the wait though.

Mesob cafe combines some of the most delicious and satisfying food you can find, with a relaxing and friendly environment. Easily my favorite restaurant in Virginia. Absolutely go if you have the chance, you will not be disappointed. Run by lovely people and amazing cooks. read more

Very small and intimate location. Great Service. Our food was delicious. However, I wish that they had more than 1 chicken dish and had a white meat selection. Best cabbage that I have ever tasted!!! read more

New experience, but not the type of food I like though. I do want folk, I feel a little strange to use fingers to eat food.

This was our second visit and I'll start off by saying they didn't get 5 stars for two reasons. 1- After the fourth party arrived, service slowed to a crawl. We only saw two people and I think one of those was also a cook. We waited ten minutes to get our check and another five to pay and leave. 2- This is the second Ethiopian restaurant to serve us our food at room temperature or cooler. I don't know if this is a common practice or not, but in the future, I will ask for the toppings on the injera bread to be warm. Beyond these two issues, it was a five star experience. The food was full of flavor and was presented on a very attractive dish. The restaurant is clean if small and the servers were polite and, until more people arrived, very attentive. I recommend Mesob's if you are not in a hurry and want some amazing flavors. My wife and I will return, but we might bring something to read while we wait. ;) read more