While this place is known widely for its dinner menu, their once-a-month brunch is where it's at! My husband and I had been trying to go for months, but since we were dating long-distance at the time, trying to schedule my visit for the last Sunday of the month didn't always pan out. Finally, when the time did come, it was worth the wait. Served in traditional Ethiopian style, the brunch comes with a selection of sweet and savory dishes along with injera - the delicious sour crepe-like bread that you use to scoop up all the tastiness before you. The Ethiopian coffee is the perfect complement to the meal and will make for a most pleasant Sunday. My only complaint is that this brunch only happens once a month. read more

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I always have the vegetarian sampler when I go to Mesob. It's flavorful, delicious and not spicy. My husband is a non-vegetarian and he also loves the food with the spice that they kindly give. I have been going here for over a decade, the quality may have deteriorated a teensy bit, (hence the 4 star) but overall the visit always leaves us with our hearts and tummy full! read more

I had the lamb with collard greens (gomen be'siga) and the lamb was so tender. Each dish comes with two vegetable sides so I had the dinich wat (potatoes in a spicy sauce) and ye'shimbra assa wat (chick pea biscuits in a spicy sauce). I loved that spicy sauce, it really was delicious and I love a little kick to my meal. The bread that they put it on (and they provide you plenty on the side) was delicious. I can still taste it in my mouth as I am writing this. It's so delicious and filling. I don't think I stopped to talk or breath for a good hour or so while stuffing my face like the foodie I am. They were also friendly enough to check for gluten free bread for one of our diners (even though we forgot to call a day ahead because this was a last minute decision to go) and were able to give us some. The gluten free bread is also really great! The service is friendly and attentive. I love when I feel like I can smile with my waiter and have a good time (especially since we kept accepting more and more bread). The decor is tasteful and inviting. Also, the lighting is dark enough that it'd be perfect for date night. FYI it's BYOB so that's a perk and saves you some money! I'm definitely going to go back more often than I have in the past. GO! Now! Don't waste your time - check it out!!! read more

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet! At first, I was very apprehensive to eat at Mesob. I had heard about it from a number of people who raved about it. "What's Ethiopian food like?", I would ask repeatedly. No one could give me a good description except saying, "You eat with your hands." Wait, you eat with your what now? This was VERY off-putting to me. Especially because I was told you eat with your hands off the same dish as everyone. All those hands touching the same food... germs everywhere... Eventually, my curiosity overcame my germophobe-ness and I gave in. I must say, Ethiopian food is delicious! Especially at Mesob! Basically, for any Ethiopian newbies, the best way I can describe it is there are various stews to choose from that include a main ingredient: veggie, lamb, chicken, beef. You choose a few and they are put on a big platter of injera, which is basically like a spongy pancake. You tear off pieces of the injera and use it to pick up chunks of your stew and soak up the delicious juices. The food is so flavorful and intoxicating. After eating there the first time, I ended up going back a few days later to eat there again. Also, not only is the food delicious but it's all reasonably priced and with friendly service. It's BYOB and is conveniently located near a liquor store. Definitely come here if you're looking for something different and delicious to eat. read more

One of the great things about Ethiopian food is the vegetarian options are just as delicious as the meat options. So I was pumped when I heard there's an Ethiopian place in Montclair when I was in the area. Came here on a Saturday evening for dinner after making reservation and was able to walk right in with no wait. The restaurant is located right in the middle of town and has a laid back vibe to it. Many of the people there seem to be frequent diners. I had the vegetarian sampler which is a mix of six different kinds of vegetables of your choice. It comes on the patented and delicious Ethiopian bread that is eaten with the meal. The dish was delicious, however it could have been a little hotter in temperature. That kind of took away from the taste for me. Other than that, it was a very enjoyable meal in a very nice restaurant. read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Mesob was a great and unique place to dine for adventurous foodies! We ordered the taste of Mesob for two, which really gave us a good idea of what Ethiopian food was all about. If you are new to Ethiopian cuisine I would recommend this dish to allow for exposure to the different types of foods Mesob has to offer. The sampler for two gives you the option of two appetizers, two chicken dishes, a shrimp dish, a lamb dish, two beef dishes, and three vegetables sides. All of these dishes are served on a HUGE piece of injera on an equally large plate. It was definitely a different experience to eat with your hands by using the injera to gather the meat and vegetables, but its worth it! Every dish was well seasoned and spiced in a way that you've probably never tasted before. I wish I could remember the specific meat dishes we ordered, but the names were slightly overwhelming to remember. It does seem that no matter what you order it will taste delicious! I do, however, remember the names of our appetizers. The Ye'misir Sambussa (lentil pastry) was yummy and not too spicy. As others have commented Ingudai tibs (spicy mushrooms) is amazing if you like food with a kick. Service was quick and efficient and kept the injera coming!! I will have to take friends and family here to try! For those with an open mind to food and don't mind anything too spicy Mesob is a must to try in Montclair! read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Day: Thursday Meal: Lunch Beverage: Ethiopian coffee ($3.50) - Nothing special, and the cup was the size of an espresso cup - Most likely would not order again because it was too pricey for basic coffee Food: Appetizer - Ingudai Tibs (portobello mushrooms) - check-in on Yelp and you can pick a free appetizer - I enjoyed the mushrooms. Mushrooms are not my favorite food, but I was able to eat this because of the great flavor. Very tasty. & it went well with the injera Meat Sampler for 2 ($25.95) - it's supposed to come with 5 different meats and 3 vegetarian sides - However, we were missing a meat dish. :( I didn't bother notifying the waitress because I checked-in via Yelp to get a free appetizer, so I didn't want to ask for too much. [My picture shows 8 items on our plate, but one of the items was our appetizer that we weren't finished with.] Overall, the meal was pretty good. I enjoyed the meat dishes and the split peas (Misia Wat) vegetarian side that we picked. The Gomen (collard greens) were a bit bland and my least favorite. Injera (spongy, sourdough bread) - delicious! I love injera and I love that they refill your basket of injera! The staff was friendly and accommodating. I enjoyed my meal here. However, I think next time I will just order one entree, instead of a sampler. I definitely want to come try their brunch! read more

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I went to school in this area, and everyone always raved about it. I finally had the chance to experience this place with a friend of mine! I had her order for us, I would say the spicy beef is my favorite, and if I could I would have just had the injera (fermented spongey bread) covered in that! They bring out a large platter with injera and the different toppings that you chose, on top. We had lamb, beef, chicken, lentils, in different sauces. They give you a plate with smaller pieces of injera that you use to scoop up the different meats and veggies with your hands! Love that part! As I said, the spicy beef was my favorite, so next time I think I will just have them bring me a ton of that and lentils. We also shared their flour-less chocolate torte. O.M.G. it was to die for! The service was VERY slow. I think they kind of forgot about us. It took them for what felt like forever, to bring out our food. And when it came time to get the check, my friend actually went up there and asked for it. Otherwise, it was absolutely delicious and I will definitely be back. Especially to try this famous brunch I see so many people posting about! read more

I haven't been here for a while but if you enjoy Ethiopian food, it is a must try. I love the spicy shrimp dish and the stewed lamb. The mushroom (spicy) is my favorite side dish. read more

Since this was my first time sampling Ethiopian food, I was pleasantly surprised to find that so many vegan and vegetarian dishes could taste so d[a]mn good! The servers are so incredibly attentive and extremely nice. I was very happy with how my table was treated. Highly recommend that you make a reservation so that you do not endure the 30+ minute wait we endured. Eating with our fingers & injeras (thin holey crepe-like utensil replacements) was a fun experience, not very hard to master. Now onto the food - portions are HUGE & the options are expensive. We each ordered an entree because it is either that (and have some leftover for the next day) or pay a $7/person sharing charge, definitely losing a star for that. Here is what my table ordered: [Appetizer] Ingudai Tibs: portobello mushrooms marinated & sautéed with onions, garlic & fresh tomatoes. We ordered it medium for spiciness level and it was really enjoyable. Their spice isn't tasted immediately, it is more of what kicks in after you have finished the bite. I definitely recommend ordering this as an appetizer (we got this for free because they give you a free appetizer for checking in through Yelp). Ye'siga Sambussa: Two hand-wrapped shells of thin pastry filled with a blend of minced beef, onions, scallions, peppers & herbs. This was actually three pieces and it wasn't anything special. The skin was crispy & flaky, but the portion was really small (and the 3 itty-bitty pieces came out to be $7) and the flavor wasn't super-memorable. [Entrees] Doro Aletcha: tender chicken legs & a hard-boiled egg simmered in mild sauce. Super-delicious! I chose the gomen & the tikil gomen as my two vegetarian sides - definitely some good choices! Gomen Be'siga: cubed lamb mixed with fresh collard greens & simmered in a mild sauce seasoned with spices and herb. I normally don't like lamb, but this was REALLY good. For me, I am really sensitive to the gamy taste of lamb so I found that still to be present, but lamb enthusiast or not, it is a darn good dish. Ye'shimbra Assa Wat: chick pea biscuits simmered in a spicy sauce. This was my favorite dish of everything I tried. The chick pea + biscuit was a great combination that combined a saucy crunch packed with amazing flavor. Yesssir, add this to your dinner! Make sure to give someone a gorsha - an Ethiopian tradition of feeding someone, usually a "larger bite." Good bonding experience! Unfortunately, the food doesn't taste as good the next day so make sure to try to consume as much as you can while there. The appetizers are smaller, but the entrees are HUGE. read more

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What a great experience! Thank you to the hostess and server who helped us choose our dishes. read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Such a great alternative to the usual fare. Really delish. It's a quaint little place. The servings are deceiving, you get a lot of food. If it's your first time going, I would suggest getting the Taste of Mesob sampler. It's a perfect amount for two people. They have an option for four people as well. I wouldn't go here if you are in a rush or just want a quick bite. Much of the food is made to order so it take a little longer than most places. Well worth it though! Don't forget to make a reservation if you go with a party bigger than two. Sometimes they have a wait even for just two people. read more

I was heading over to Montclair for a concert and when looking for a vegan friendly place to eat, discovered Mesob, which has many vegetarian entrees (all vegan). This was my first time having Ethiopian food and I loved it. I had no idea what to expect, but was delighted to have so many options. We started with the Ingudai Tibs, portabello mushrooms with onions, garlic and tomato and asked for it to be as spicy as possible. They brought it out with extra hot sauce stuff on the side and it was awesome. I had read that you either love or hate the bread that comes with everything, but I think the slightly sour taste was great. For dinner, we had the vegetarian sampler, which is 6 of the vegan dishes to be shared. I honestly can't remember exactly what we had, but I know we had a ton of lentil dishes (both hot and cold), a chickpea biscuit dish and one the server picked out for us. Everything was fantastic. For dessert, I had the vegan chocolate sampler (4 pretty and yummy chocolates), and a cup of the roasted to order coffee. The coffee was amazing. I will def be back here, I only wish I had discovered it earlier! read more

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I really did not know what to expect with Ethiopian food. I guess I thought it would be like Indian food. Dont get me wrong. It kind of is. However, my main critique (also the reason why I gave only 2 stars) is because I dont like injera ("spongy" flatbread). I like the little portions of their meat platter alot. They were delicious! However, I feel like it would taste a lot better with naan. I also used the free appetizer deal by checking in on Yelp. I ordered Ayib Bemitmita, which is farmer's cheese. Yet again, I expected it to taste similar to Indian paneer. I think I am just biased with Indian food because it's so damn good. Sorry, Ethiopia. The restaurant itself is really nice and quaint. The staff is friendly. The menu is pretty expensive, but its expected in the Montclair area. Everything is all good..... EXCEPT injera. Thus, my review is not that helpful because I personally do not like their flatbread. If you like it, the place is probably more you cup of tea. read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

First of all, this place smells delicious. Whatever spices are circulating through the air here definitely gets you in the mood for Ethiopian. For apps, my two buddies and I went with the ayib bemitmita (fresh farmer's cheese mixed with Ethiopian chili powder) and ye-misir sambussa (hand wrapped shells of thin pastry filled with a blend of brown lentils, onions, scallions, peppers & herbs). The latter reminded me of an Indian samosa. Both very good. And thanks to a Yelp check-in, one of these was on the house. For the main course, we split the meat sampler for two ($44). It had: - a combination of Tibs Wat (beef). Wat's that? No idea. - Minchet Abish Kay Wat (beef). Same comment as above. - Minchet Abish Aletcha (beef). - Ye'Beg Aletcha (lamb). - Doro Tibs (chicken). The sample came with three sides of our choice. We opted for the: - gomen (fresh collard green simmered in mild sauce seasoned with spice and herbs) - misir wat (split lentils simmered in spicy hot sauce - dinich wat (potatoes simmered in a spicy sauce seasoned with spices & herbs). The servers (both from Ethiopia) were excellent about explaining everything to us, even though I still didn't leave entirely certain what I had consumed. The only disappointment of the night was that nobody wanted to split the Ethiopian coffee with me. (I'm a self-proclaimed coffee snob and am convinced I will make it to Ethiopia some day just for the coffee). Remember to check in on Yelp to get a free app. BYOB. read more

food was cold , bland and it was just puréed lentils ( thought I asked medium Spicey food ) . The main and side dishes were all lentils . Me and my friend ( ate the food , he ddnt eat his base bread at all and I ddnt eat my lentils ) we thought of giving the feedback but to our biggest disappointment, the response was " we are the best , it's just you ddnt like the food " and was little aggressive . the waiter who was taking the order was not requesting rather dictating when we asked for suggestions . money is not at issue but at least take the feedback positively , even if one customer doesn't like your food , you need yo take that positively and worst thing , whole night I had stomach ache . guys , think twice before visiting this over hyped pricey place . it was a very poor copy of Indian food , better try Thai or Indian food read more

This was an amazing dinner. The last time I ate Ethiopian food was 12 years ago at the Blue Nile in Detroit. This place surpasses it. The service was homey and felt like a family-run place. All the wait staff wait on all the tables. You are not bound to one person. The service while a bit lax is still very helpful and informative. Make sure you make reservations. It gets packed. Also, it is BYOB. Suggestion - bring your alcohol from home. The liquor store next door is very expensive. We spent $19 for a split of wine. The food was amazing. We started with a sampler of the most popular appetizers. The names are confusing but I will say the farmers cheese and the mushrooms were amazing. Spicy and savory. Just amazing. Simply amazing. Nothing was overpowering. For dinner my whole ge and I split an order of the raw Keftab. It is Ethiopian beef tartare. (Actually, tartare is the way the Tartare people of Ethiopia prepare their beef). The beef was mixed with North African spices. You get the earthy, spicy, and savory flavors of he region. The beef is placed on a large piece of injerra, a pita like bread common to Ethiopia. Along with the Keftab we got spicy Red Lentils and Potato and Cabbage. Both had spice blends that were amazing. Yet nothing overpowered the flavors of the beef We ended the meal with 2 cups of Ethiopian coffee and moist almond cake. The coffee was smooth and full bodied. Think Cuban coffee on heroin. Simply amazing. Everyone should go. Please. read more

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Overall a great place. I've spent many years enjoying Ethiopian food at Makeda in New Brunswick and it's great to find a place that is up to that quality. We came in at 8:15 for an 8:30 reservation on a busy Friday night, popped next door for a bottle of wine (it's BYOB) and were seated promptly when we returned. The place is buzzing on a Friday night, with a great energy. There were lots of large parties and seems like a great place to bring a crowd - both for the atmosphere and for the "all hands in" style of Ethiopian dining. We went with their farmer's cheese and their fitfit salad to start. Both were very good, but the cheese + the rolled up injera that it comes with were quite heavy. If you were to eat the whole thing, you'd be done for the night. Not an issue if you have a bit of self control, but just be aware. Everything was very delicious. For the main, we went with the meat sampler for two. Everything was great and they are quite generous with the amount of meat and side. Don't discount the sides at all - the lentils and split peas are fantastic. They are generous with the injera and right on top of it if you start to run low. We skipped dessert and ran across the street for a movie. Overall, it was a great experience and we will be back. read more

I ordered lunch from here last Saturday and it was horrible!! The lunch menu on their website was listed as $10 but when I went to pick up and pay, the server said it was $14. Their only reply was "the owners have to update the website" as if it were my fault. Secondly, I had to pay for shiro on the side b/c that's "not a lunch special option." Nowhere does it state shiro cannot be a lunch side (it does say no shiro for veggie platters which I did not order). To add insult to injury, I received one measly and old chicken leg with the doro wat (not two as the menu stated). All in all my total was $18 for one stale chicken leg, a small side of shiro, 1/4 c. of cabbage and 1/4 c of lentils. The sad part is, I've dined here at least 7x in the past year. I suggest you NEVER order takeout from them. Lesson learned... read more

In my previous review, I withheld the 5th star due to customer service. I recently went back for the Saturday lunch specials and was completely blown away. First of all, nearly everything on the menu is half-priced until 3pm. If there was a difference in portion size, neither me or my stomach noticed. It was even more crowded than my first time their but service was absolutely phenomenal. They were so attentive, almost to a fault. We could barely take a bite of food without someone coming over to ask how we were enjoying our dishes. While this could be a little annoying to some, I felt it to be a massive improvement to having rushed, non-attentive service. I love this estaishment and plan on frequenting it as often as possible, although I will be going for lunch to save a few bucks!! :P read more

I'm gonna assume the people giving this place rave reviews haven't had Ethiopian food elsewhere or had good Ethiopian food. Or maybe the chef changed? Anyway... The good: the decor is beautiful. Love the artwork and the light shades with Ethiopian script. You can tell someone took time to be detailed and decorate well. The bad: food is lame. We had the meat sampler. The food wasn't hot enough (so midway through eating it was too cool) and it's not as flavorful as Ethiopian food usually is. I've been to many Ethiopian restaurants and they all have much better food. Wife said she'd have preferred going to McDonald's. I wouldn't go that far but I left the place unsatisfied cuz I was looking for my Ethiopian food fix and didn't feel like I got it. What annoys me even more is that there's a decent Ethiopian restaurant in south orange about 15-20mins away but I wanted to give this place a try. Oh well. Btw, service is slow and not attentive even though there were few people there at the time. They're friendly enough tho. read more

I've wanted to try Mesob for a very long time now since I've heard so many good things about it from my friends. I've had very limited experience with Ethiopian food (last time was a few years ago in Philadelphia) so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. The interior is nice and fits the mood/theme of the restaurant perfectly. Very simple and clean. Just a warning: it's a small restaurant, and quite popular, so it can get loud. For appetizers, we had the kategna, which were rolls of the sour bread (injera) drenched in a spicy clarified butter. Good, but not great. I was expecting a bigger punch of flavor for the $7 appetizer which basically only consisted of the bread that they give for free during the dinner portion of the meal anyway. On that note, I did enjoy the injera, which took a bit to get used to at first given the sour nature of the flatbread. Also, spicy here is actually pretty spicy, though not unbearably so. Just a warning to those who do not like to eat spicy food. Since it was my first time, I got the meat sampler which included: tibs wat, minchet abish kay wat, minchet abish aletcha, ye'beg altecha, and doro tibs. The three vegetables we chose were the ye'shimbra assa wat, difen misir aletcha, and tikil gomen. Everything was pretty good and well seasoned, though after a while all the different flavors started to mix together. The dishes prepared with a spicy sauce started to taste alike, and the dishes prepared with a mild sauce started to taste alike. Perhaps it was a problem with ordering the sampler. There was also a problem with texture. Most of the food is very saucy and the bread is also soft, so there was not a lot of contrast in texture (especially with the ground beef entrees). The tibs wat (spicy cubed beef) and doro tibs (chicken) were my favorite meat choices. I was not as thrilled with the minchest abish kay wat and michet abish aletcha, which were both ground beef, one in a spicy sauce and one in a mild sauce. It reminded me too much of chili. I was also disappointed in the ye'shimbra assa wat, which were chick pea biscuits served in a spicy sauce. The chick pea biscuits were too dry and bitter, and left a strange aftertaste in my mouth that lingered for far too long. For dessert we tried the almond cake with berry sauce and a gelato sampler. The ice cream was delicious. Creamy, smooth, and flavorful. The almond cake was a bit dry, but it was saved by the berry sauce which was quite good. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with the service. We had a 7 o'clock reservation and had to wait for about 20 minutes before being seated. Then after we ordered, it took over an hour for our appetizers to arrive. I will give them points for giving us an extra appetizer for free since they were "sorry for the wait." Still, for a Sunday night, the slow speed of service was inexcusable. Overall, I liked Mesob and will come back again, though I can't help but be a bit disappointed given the hype. read more

Would be 5 stars but it was so HOT in there it was uncomfortable. This was my first go at Ethiopian. What screams FUN more than eating mystery meat with your hands. All the dishes were very tasty. Nothing was overly spiced or lacking. Can't wait to go back! read more

3.5 Stars. Last night was actually my 3rd time dining at Mesob, so there must be something i like about it right? This review will be a summary of my three visits. My initial visit was after my gf pleaded for me to try this place. Since i had zero experience with Ethiopian food, i was a little nervous about what to expect. I clearly recall the aroma of fresh roasted coffee beans hitting me as walked in. It smelled great and managed to help put me at ease. I am truly a "Meat & Potatoes" kind of guy. So while the meal was enjoyable, i was left with a sense of being unfulfilled. On our second visit, i already knew what i was expecting, so there were no preconceived notions or nervousness brought on by the unknown. The second time around was a much more fulfilling experience than the first. So on to last night... We got the Taste of Mesob for 2. You get 2 starters, 2 chicken dishes, 2 beef dishes, 1 lamb offering, and 3 sides from the vegetable section. You can customize this to your personal preferences. My lady can't handle too much spice, so everything was mild and we got the spicy-ness on the side for me. Everything was yummy and filling but didn't weigh you down. So if you are in the mood to travel the world while in Montclair and don't want the usual pizza or chinese take out, this would be a place to expand your culinary horizons. Enjoy! read more

Mesob serves great Ethiopian food at a price that's not a bargain but still relatively reasonable (compared to sticker shock at Makeda in New Brunsick). Vegetarian dishes are terrific. It says a lot when a carnivore like me walked away loviing the vegetarian plates more than the meat dishes (even though their goat and pork dishes are especially good). Unfortunately, we made a reservation which was not honored until 10-15 mins past the reservation time, and wait staff was sometimes hard to flag down, so one star off. The noise level in this restaurant can get very loud as well. read more

I LOVED the food! I ordered the vegetarian platter with assorted lentil sides. The bread is my favorite and I ordered extra. I had also ordered the sambusas as appetizers and they were quite tasty. The service was good, and the way wasn't too bad for food. My only complaint is that it's a bit on the expensive side, but otherwise, I would come here again. read more

Outstanding experience! Took our two teenaged boys to celebrate a birthday. Had to take an early reservation (5:15pm) as they are busy on Saturday evenings. The staff was friendly, helpful with their suggestions, and just the right level of attentive. Food = fantastic! Highlights were spicy shrimp tibs, chicken tibs, and mushrooms. Given our boys' enthusiasm, we will certainly be back. read more

Sooooooo delicious. First time having Ethiopian cuisine. Got the veggie platter for two. Got pickup and everything was packed in individual boxes. Easy setup at home. So filling, this is more like a meal for four. read more

This is our "go to" eating out fancy place. As a vegetarian I know I can get so many options. Plus the food is amazing! The food can be as spicy or mild as you like (I like it spicy and flavorful). I have had Ethiopian food many times and this is one of the best I've had. I always get a combo and mix and match my own items, and love it that way. I love the injera bread it is so wonderful and made perfectly! Service is not rushed nor do they make you rush (I have not been here on a Friday night). The wait staff is friendly, but not in your face. I brought my 80+ year-old parents here and they are still talking about it! read more

I've made a reservation for 8:45 PM on a Friday. My fiancé, myself and four of our guests arrived on time @ 8:45 PM. However, they have us wait for almost an hour before finding us a table. My 2 year old nephew was irritated. Why take a reservation if you will not honor it?!.. this ridiculous wait time was followed by a sub-par service on a wobbly table. If there was a zero star I would've rated that for the experience we had. On top of that their rest rooms do not have a diaper changing station...?!?! I'm an Ethiopian who loves the food and the culture, and support my community whichever way I can. However, this was not the experience I was hoping to share with our guests. read more

Mesob is over the top amazing food! Every time the food is fresh and delivcous! As one of the best Ethiopian in the world they also have elegant service and a beautiful dining room! I enjoy the chocolate and coffee as well! I totally endorse Mesob! You will love the clean quality of this food! read more

Been going to Mesob for at least 15 years. Never disappoints. Food is top notch. great staff-- friendly and prompt.

Absolutely FANTASTIC introduction to Ethiopian cuisine-right in the middle of Montclair. If you're like me and believe utensils are merely a social construct designed to get between people and food, this is the place for you. The smell of rich spices and braiding meat hits you right as you walk in, and the service and space enhance the experience and perfectly complement the exotic, but approachable vibe of Mesob. Highly recommend-bring a bottle of wine and people you don't mind eating with your hands in front of, and enjoy read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Our GIANT combo platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Excellent service, delicious food! This was a 10/10, I've never had Ethiopian food before and I found it to be soo flavorful! Would recommend and will definitely be back. read more

Fantastic BYOB Ethiopian restaurant in downtown Montclair. The food and injera are fantastic! We love it there!

Really great food and excellent dining experience. Highly recommend this place if you are craving Ethiopian food or wanting to try something new! read more

Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant of Montclair New Jersey, is a favorite for both vegans and meat lovers with its authentic Ethiopian food. My friend gave me the heads up to how crowded they can be, so we went rather early for dinner, around 4:30pm and had no problem. However, over the course of the evening, we noticed how packed and noisy it becomes. What I particularly love upon walking into this place, was the large pillars of lit alphabet scrolls that sit in the center of the restaurant. The space is warm and inviting due to exposed brick, pumpkin-colored walls, and soft light. It gave it a relaxing feeling as our host sat us immediately after we confirmed our reservation (again, highly recommended Open Table the closer you get to dinner time.) Immediately I felt transported to another place in time with the aromas of Ethiopian coffee that hits your olfactory straight away. They are a bit on the small side and one negative for this restaurant is that the acoustics of the large open dining area can make for a rather loud dining experience when the place is crowded. The meals are medium in price range all depending on how you order. This is a 'eat-with-your-hands' place, (although silverware is provided upon request) making this a fun, alternative to group dining experience with close friends and family. All of their foods are prepared with imported Ethiopian spices blended daily. Their produce is always fresh and sauces are prepared as ordered. Most all the dished come with and are served on a large piece of Injera, which is a delicious teff and sourdough Ethiopian flat bread that you wrap and dip your food in. The texture is light, soft, and spongy, and has a specific taste to it that's different from a tortilla or other flat breads. Injera is made from fermented lentil flour and is gluten-free so it's perfect for those with diet restrictions. It seemed way less filling than other kinds of bread. Because everyone eats with their hands, they bring warm washcloths to clean your hands with after you order. My vegan friend suggested the Veggie Sampler which comes with 6 choices off the main menu and is served over a rather large plate of fluffy, blanket-like Injera. We ordered the ATKILT ALETCHA , which is fresh green beans & fresh carrots simmered in flavorful mild sauce. (I ordered this mild but you can get as spicy as you want,) the DIFEN MISIR ALETCHA, which is whole brown lentils simmered in a mild sauce seasoned with spices and herbs, the SHIRO pureed split peas cooked with red onions and garlic (spicy,) the MISIR WAT, which is split lentils simmered in spicy hot sauce, and lastly , the GOMEN, which is fresh collard green simmered in mild sauce seasoned with spice and herbs and my most favorite of the six. Some are served cold, and some are served warm, which affected the flavor experience. The presentation is a mini event in and of itself. Two waiters help each other ladle each sampler onto the bread, which you get extra on the side as well! At the end I always order coffee or tea, and this place was a real treat as they ritualistically prepare their Ethiopian Coffee (Bunna) tableside (order in advance because preparation time is about 20 minutes-but worth the wait!) and is served in their traditional coffee pot called a jebena, then it is topped with espresso powder. For Dessert we split four vegan chocolates: Berbere, (which has dark chocolate infused with berbere spices) Guava Ginger (a dark chocolate blended with ginger and quava) Kemem Shai (ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black tea in Dark chocolate) and Ethiopian Coffee (Ethiopian coffee in dark chocolate- my favorite one of them all!) Just a wonderful place in every way. A full page of their menu is vegan, which this makes a great place to take vegan and vegetarian friends as well as meat lovers. There is something for everyone, and the little ones can enjoy eating with their hands! read more

It's my first time trying Ethiopian cuisine and I had a good experience. We were three and ordered meat sampler for 2 which was sufficient. Lamb was very delicious and the chicken was not so tasty. We got potatoes, pureed chick peas, yellow split peas and lentils for four veg sides. Chick peas were average but the rest were good. The ambiance here is very authentic and spacious compared to many other restaurants. I would definitely go here again. read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Meat Sampler for 2! - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Mesob is one of the highlights of Montclair. Great food, wonderful family run atmosphere. Even after over a year away because of covid, they recognized us when we came back to get our first meal. Great date location too. Tables are spaced and music is low. read more

The food was flavorful and amazing. My date and I enjoyed the injera bread. The service was amazing.