The food here is really good and love that there are vegan options…read more It is served a bit differently than other Ethiopian restaurants I've been to; injera on the plate only, no side basket of it. Service is friendly and efficient and location has easy parking.

The best Ethiopian food I've ever had! Everything is made from scratch; gluten free njera was…read moreincredibly delicious. Ethiopian food is my favorite and this is by far the best one! The owner of the restaurant has very nurturing caring energy that made me feel like I was a welcomed guest at her home. She took such a good care of us and the food was healthy and delicious.

It took me a while, but I started loving Ethiopian food a lot more and started appreciating the…read morecuisine the more I had it. It's hard for me to compare Ethiopian restaurants here just yet since the cuisine isn't something I have to often still, but it's definitely been quite good the time I've had it. This is no exception either. The platter was quite large and I enjoyed almost every thing on it. I don't know the names of everything still, so sorry for my ignorance, but both the meat and veggie items on the platter were very good. There's nothing special about the egg, but for some reason, it hits different with that sauce here. So freaking good! Service was friendly, but the place was pretty dark and dreary. Definitely has more of a night scene vibe or just a dive bar kinda vibe. There is a bar attached in another room close to the back. So maybe it use to be a bar and the design of the place just hasn't changed. The restaurant did feel very wide and spacious. Possibly for a dance floor or something. Anyways I had a good time and food was delicious.

We decided to try this place out when we visited Seattle as we were craving Ethiopian. The ambience…read morewas not great, the lights were full and not crowded for a Saturday. Veggie combo (4 stars): There were at least six delicious sides to the injera. The lentils were fresh and delicious. Loved the authentic food. I wish they let us replace a few veggie options with meat options.

I haven't had much West African food in the past so when we were looking for some new food to try…read moreout over the weekend, we came across Bantaba. As other reviews state, this is kind of a strange restaurant that seems more like it's for regulars rather than new customers. There's no actual printed menu other than hints of a menu on the signboard above the register (and we confirmed this with the cashier). I guess this is to save on cost, which coincidentally also allows them to adjust pricing on the fly? There are photos posted of the menu from 2024, but my guess is those are of an old pre-COVID menu, given that the prices increased over 50% at this point. Per other reviews, dine-in orders are also packaged in takeout boxes and can take a variable amount of time to cook. We don't usually get takeout much, but decided to call in an order for this visit. This was at around 5PM on Saturday and we were promised a 30 minute wait. We arrived 30 minutes later, paid for the order, and it ended up taking about another 10 minutes. Not too bad. Benechin Beef ($18.99) - As I learned, benechin is essentially a different term for the more commonly known (at least in the US) jollof rice. In this case, the rice has a deep tomato and spiced umami that combines a pleasant saltiness with a heat level that builds and builds. It's topped with a small side of cabbage that seems to be stewed in the same spices as the rice. There's then a piece of yucca root, stewed but still rather toothsome with fiber strands all in one direction like muscle grains. For the beef, they include four pieces of thinly sliced barbecued meat. The meat is extremely flavorful with what seems to be a black pepper and allium based spice mixture. In terms of texture, it's quite tough and chewy, almost to the level of beef jerky. (4/5) Afra Lamb ($20.99) - This dish comes with a choice of rice or salad, not both as the older menu states. We went with the rice which comes in a smaller container and is a long grain rice cooked until perfectly fluffy. It's cooked with salt, which is something that I'm not used to. The larger container includes a mound of bone-in lamb meat doused in a savory and tangy mustard based sauce. The meat is a very interesting mixture of off-cuts, a combination of cross-cut ribs, shanks, lamb chops, and some random other cuts. The lamb is mostly bone in and there are tons of small bone shards all over the meat, making it a bit of a pain to eat. The meat isn't very gamey and all and is much more tender as compared to the beef jerky in the benechin. On top of the lamb, they include mustard infused softened onions and whole quick-charred onion rings, resulting in a still crunchy texture. They include some powdered dried chilis is a small pile hidden under the onions. Be careful - it's starts out smoky like paprika to start and the heat only starts to build after a couple of seconds. (4/5) Bantaba is a great place to try some new food. While it's not the most beginner friendly restaurant, it offers some flavors and dishes that are hard to find around Seattle. Bathrooms - Single unisex room

Just updated with pictures of food and front of the restaurant for pictures of some ambiance. The…read moreowners and staff are fantastic. You hear lots of French here from staff and customers interacting.

I found Ahadu Ethiopian via the Seattle Met Magazine top 50 list. Located in the Northgate…read moreneighborhood, they are one of at least three Ethiopian restaurants within a street corner. The server greeted us kindly with the QR code to scan for the menu. The restaurant is modest, older, and smaller, with several tables inside and outside. We were one of two parties in the restaurant, so it wasn't busy. I must admit I was surprised to see so few people there. The proprietor came out to greet us during our meal; she is a very kind and warm lady. In short, I strongly recommend this restaurant. The Food: Ahadu Combo, $43 - 5 Stars Menu: Key Sir, Atter, Misir, Kitfo, Weta Geba, Key Wet, Gomen, Ayeb, Mitmita, Awaze. Three full size injera breads are included. When ordering, we asked our server if this is enough for two people. She replied that it feeds 3 to 4 people. We smiled knowing we are big eaters. We almost finished! We took a small portion home. This has an impressive amount of food. The lentil and the split peas are filling in addition to the three beef proteins. By now, we have eaten enough Ethiopian food that we can tell when we are 'more' or 'less' satisfied after each meal. They are never bad, since the flavors are so good. While I can't precisely describe it for this meal, this combo is very, very satisfying, compared to all others in recent memory. Their food has a slight spicy kick, which is the traditional flavors of Ethiopia. We enjoyed literally everything in this combo. The flavors truly complimenting each other as we switched between dishes. Ref: Key Sir: Red beats and potatoes cooked with red onions, jalapenos, and garlic Atter: Split Pea Cooked with chopped onions, Turmeric and garlic Miser: Red lentil stew cooked with red onions, garlic, and berbere Kitfo: Minced ribeye beef marinated in mitmita, coriander, and black pepper Weta Geba: Beef chunks cooked in an open skillet with red onions and jalapenos Key Wet: A stew made from chopped onions, berberay, ginger, garlic, and beef chunks Gomen: Collard greens and spinach cooked with diced garlic and red onions Ayeb: Ethiopian cottage cheese Mitmita: Spice mix in the center Awaze: Red spicy sauce

I happened to randomly check the TGTG app on a Friday morning and saw Ahadu pop up a couple of key…read morewot bags. End of day food for 66% off certainly entices me to try a new place and cuisine! I haven't had much Ethiopian food before, only twice and the last time was years ago. When we walked in, the place was completely empty, but the cashier greeted us warmly like we were regulars. He was super friendly and talkative; this seems like a great family owned establishment. The food took about ten minutes to arrive. Key wot ($6.99 via TGTG, normally $21) - This meal is HEFTY, weighing in at almost 2.5 pounds. It includes a piece of injera, folded up on top, then another piece underneath, acting almost like a box for the key wot beef stew. The stew has deep, concentrated savoriness, like it's been stewed for hours upon hours and reduced. It's fragrant and has a spice that starts to build and build, warming the entire mouth. There are plenty of small chunks of beef, and even beef bone. In addition to the key wot, they give two small sides of gomen and ayeb. The gomen consists of finely chopped collards, a pretty simple dish with plenty of vegetal flavor. The ayeb is like a cottage cheese, creamy and milky. It's a dairy element that helps with the heat of the dish. As we were leaving, we saw some people, who I think are Ethiopian, come in and order just a bunch of injera. If that's not a positive sign, I don't know what is! I'd love to return in the future to try some more! Bathrooms - Single unisex room

Jebena Cafe is truly a gem in Shoreline. This family-owned Ethiopian restaurant is one of those…read morerare places that is consistently excellent every single time. The food is always fresh, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor--you can truly taste the love in every bite. The injera and dishes are incredible--rich stews, vibrant vegetables, and perfectly balanced spices. My go-to order is the vegan combination plate, and it's so generous it's easily enough for two people to share. Every plate feels like a colorful feast and everything tastes homemade. What makes it even better is the warm, welcoming atmosphere. The owners are genuinely kind and friendly and make you feel like part of the family the moment you walk in. They also roast and serve their own Ethiopian coffee, which is absolutely worth trying. There are plenty of Ethiopian restaurants around, but honestly I won't go anywhere else. Jebena Cafe is a place I happily recommend to everyone who loves amazing food and wonderful people.

I really had not tried Ethiopian food at a restaurant before, and I have to say this was a great…read moreplace to get started. I first should mention the vibes are just phenomenal. It's a pretty small place, but really feels like a home with all the simple art on the walls. I absolutely have to mention the lady who appears to run this place, who is one of the most delightful people I've encountered. She is truly a treat and so warm, caring, and impossible to say no to. The food we shared was the Meat Combination #2, which comes with kitfo (ground beef), Qey Wot (lamb stew), beef tibs, and a few vegetarian curries and other vegetables. This all came on a plate of injera, and injera came on the side as well. The size of this is truly massive. Despite ordering a single dish for two people, we were unable to finish it all. It's simply one of the biggest plates of food I've seen. I think this plate size is suitable for three hungry people, and possibly four. Quality-wise, I would say the majority of the food was solid, but nothing extraordinary. This starts with the samosas, which had a good outside but the inside felt a little bland. I liked the way most of the meat was cooked, particularly the lamb, but everything on the plate felt it was missing that kick of extra flavor. There really wasn't much spice here at all. Compared to Indian food, the closest approximation I have, you don't feel the same level of spices in the stews and curries found here. That being said, everything on this plate was still enjoyable because of how you could mix different things together. I loved mixing the cheese, ground beef, and some of the sauteed greens in one bite. This was all helped by how good the injera was. It was super thin, fluffy, and surprisingly tasted a bit sour when tasted on its own. The amount of air bubbles in this thing was crazy. It was the perfect instrument to get all the liquidy food on the plate into your mouth. For being just over $20/person, including tax + tip, this was an amazing deal. The amount of food you get vs the price is some of the best dine-in value you'll have in the city. Overall, a super cool and interesting place with a great value. 8.25/10

0 star for food: Pictures explain themselves. 0 star for the…read moreservice: as the waiter used bare hand to scoop a meat from our dish to show us the meat is chewable.

Amazing service , very kind lady Smells really good inside…read moreand it's very clean Food was absolutely amazing, I felt like I was in a trance while eating. Took us about 12 minutes to kill the food Very good portion too. I'm full. But overall the owner seems very sweet and that makes me want to come back and support this place. Try it you won't regret it .

A friend told me about this place, from the name I always thought it was just a market, but it is…read moreactually a restaurant as well. I guess they recently remodeled, we tried a few times before we managed to catch them open and ready for business. Plenty of easy parking out front. Not too hot inside on a warm day. There were some samosas for sale on the counter. It has a separate seating area and some things for grocery type things and household items for sale around the edges. On the day we visited we were the only diners, but lots of people came in to use the store part. We both ordered the vegetarian combo. It was large and filling. It came with a beet section, which is something I have not experienced at other Ethiopian restaurants. My favorite part was a dark brownish item, but unfortunately I do not know what it is called. I also really enjoyed the salad section. I am not aware of other Ethiopian places in the area and the person behind the counter let me know that many people come from northern cities to dine here. It's nice to have this in the area. I know many people that are curious about Ethiopian food and it is nice to have a place closer to take them to experience it. Glad to have found this hidden gem.

Delicious food and good service! Lots of vegetarian options, which is always a plus for me. I…read moreordered the vegetarian combo and would happily order it again. Great place overall!