have passed this place a thousand times and never tried it before. absolutely delicious! food (veggie combo, curry chicken "kilwa dorho") was well-spiced and abundant portion-wise. tried a habesha beer which was refreshing. server was kind and friendly. lots of people were watching the world cup in the bar room in the back. i will come again! read more

Red Sea Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine Restaurant - veggie 31. vegetarian combination, 2. kilwa dorho - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

They've Always delivered the Best Grub via Doordash. Had their Combo Plates, and the Sebi DORO a couple of times. The latter is a sorta Chicken in Gravy with 2 Boiled Eggs. Delicious INJERA Ethiopian Flat Bread always Included with the Entrees !!! Love Ethiopian Cuisine, Culture, Art & Dress !!!!!! read more

Tastiest Ethiopian/Eritrean dishes in the Bay Area with great prices and service to boot.

yesterday I sat quietly in the corner in the front patio it was pleasant. I was surprised to discover in the back park an actual sea ( or rather a creek) I ended up sitting near that with a glass of juice. read more

Before we get into the review, I wanted to mention that this is only the second time I've been to an Ethiopian restaurant ever. The food from the first place I went to many years ago was too spicy (I had no spice tolerance at the time), and the injera was sour enough that eventually my stomach hurt (possibly because I had too much since it was likely the only thing I could eat). When my spouse and I sat down to order lunch, we originally wanted to get a Sambusa, but they were all out, so we got the Kelwa Dinish and the Green Salad. The salad had a light dressing that was kind of like oil & pepper but more interesting. The cubed beef had a great flavor and texture. I also liked that there was a little bit of gristle on some of the pieces. I think there might be a little bit of spice from the oil, but I was able to eat it (since I can handle a tiny bit of spice now). Overall, I was glad we got the salad because it helped to balance out the other dish. The two of us couldn't finish the food, so we took the leftovers home in reusable silicone containers. If I ever get Ethiopian or Eritrean food again, I'd be happy to come back here for a casual dining experience with food that isn't too spicy for me. ECO NOTES (Dine-In) Dine-In Dishware: Reusable plates and bowls Napkins: Single-use disposable paper napkin Utensils: Metal serving fork and spoon for salad. The rest involves the most reusable utensil of all - your hands. Water cups: Short cups made of glass read more

Red Sea Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine Restaurant - Kelwa Dinish - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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I regret having to do a negative review. It's definitely disappointing being a customer of 25 years or more. Over the years the customer service has been outstanding. It took just this one event to STOP patronizing this place. In short, a friend and I were in the middle of our meal when a picture fell off the wall and on top of both of our half eaten plates. We had to go find the waitress and tell her. Upon coming to our table she gets a real concerned look and asks "what you do??" We told her nothing we were eating and it fell. She picked it up like we had did it on purpose and started to walk off as if we should continue eating. I called her back and asked her to replace half my friends food and that I was full and it was ok She takes our plates and comes back with the FULL bill and says sorry I can't replace it. Hands me the bill for almost $70. Needless to say I placed $40 on the table and walked out. That's the end of RED SEA for me. I've sat in that same seat over 100 times and have never been ttreated so bad I DO NOT RECOMMEND RED SEA customer service wise. Other than that the food is delicious. read more

Red Sea Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine Restaurant - Fish and Spinach Chicken tones - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Same price as last year, but shrunken potrions. There wass less than 2 oz of meat in the $20.Red Sea meat combo platter. Nice staff, no one actually dines in house. It's not a welcoming place, not open during hours they advertised, loud and music is nice to cover up the other room noise. read more

One of the best in the West!!! Serving variety of Delicious "Habesha" dishes. "Izzy" (Owner) provides assistance quickly and efficiently, while also being polite, courteous and approachable, creating a positive and welcoming experience to all his customers. Festive and welcoming ambiance! read more

Red Sea Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine Restaurant - Kurt! (Ethiopian delicacy) - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Great injera, fresh veggies -- and the flavor-bomb shrimp and spinach keeps me coming back.

I typically love Ethiopian food. Had the Red Sea Combo and had to spit out every mouthful. Nothing resembling meat in it-- just gobbets of gristle and bone. read more

I ordered takeout here and thought the whole process was very efficient and the food was delicious!

One of the best Habesha restaurants in Oakland. The food is authentic, injera is always good and not heavy. The prices are fair and the portion is a lot more than most restaurants. The service, ambiance, everything is great and the art is beautiful. it's a gem and must try! 10/10 read more

The service was amazing. I didn't have to wait too long for my food to come. The atmosphere was very calming, and the artwork on the walls was very beautiful. The food tasted amazing, and the pricing was reasonable. Would recommend coming here! read more

Seemed like a good idea because it had so many food options but it was fair. Prices were decent but it didn't have the real Ethiopian flavor that I'm used to. They didn't even put the beef awaze on top of the injera in the box?!? The injera also was lacking something but not sure what since I don't make it. Overall, it was decent but I don't think I would try it again. The chicken sambusca had a great crisp but also lacking on flavor. My friend had the fried green tomatoes with crabmeat but said it had an odd "too crabby" taste. read more

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This is my 1st review after 4 visits here. We tried the Red Sea Combo- a great trio of beef, lamb and chicken, along with veggies. We also had a Vegetarian Platter- looked fwd to it all day! Sadly, the lentil peas were not cooked thoroughly, once again (yes, it happened the 3rd visit) however, everything on both plates was delicious and I recommend them highly. The staff is friendly and prompt with service! read more

Red Sea Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine Restaurant - Veggies platter! - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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The food was TOO salty and I could not finish it - through away the majority. Will not be ordering here again.

Best Ethiopian restaurant in the USA. I have traveled far and wide. Until tonight, I thought the best US Ethiopian food was in Washington, DC. But now, i think that Red Sea reigns supreme. Sublime flavors, first-class service, and truly majestic music, what's not to love? read more

Overall solid food, but given the overall high bar of Ethiopian food in the area, I was surprised at how this couldn't quite match the others. They forgot the soups in our order, but even outside of that, the dishes themselves really were more okay than good. The meat dishes consisted more of cartilage than actual meat, and was overall overcooked and tough. The injera was good, as were some of the vegetable options. But with Asmara around the corner, I can't say I'd recommend going here. read more

We eat Ethiopian/Eritrean often but we usually stick to a restaurant in the South Bay so I am not the right critic to say the food we had is authentic or not. Or good or bad. I would just highlight what is noticeable. Most dishes are a bit spicy for us. Well the menu did indicate that! But again, I don't eat spicy often. So maybe this is the norm for authentic food. Kinda like you go to a Thai restaurant, their mild is spicy for my taste bud. We enjoyed the wonderful customer service. We brought a child who isn't tolerant of spicy food but accustomed to Ethiopian /Eritrean food we usually get. Unfortunately, she couldn't handle the stuff we ordered for adults. The staff ended up serving a non spicy food with injera for her. It was very sweet of them doing so. Street parking isn't bad. We found one around the corner with a short walking distance. read more

Red Sea Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine Restaurant - Veggie combo and lamb Tibs. - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Food Is amazing , service is Perfect and the ambiance are very nice. The people are humble.

The food was amazing and the service is impeccable our family has been coming here for years and won't stop anytime soon some of the best Ethiopian food around read more

Excellent food and great service. The meat combo plate was delicious- just the right amount of spice. The people working there are also very nice. read more

I love Red Sea! My sister-friend introduced me to this place a few years ago and it's been my go-to for Ethiopian in the Bay for many years. I recommending trying their lunch buffet and have honestly enjoyed everything I've there. My favorites are the veggie combo which ALWAYS hits. ALWAYS. The veggie sambusas are always crispy, fresh with a slight spice-kick. And, though I read one review where someone was clowning and saying the food couldn't be good because they saw Ethiopians ordering the spaghetti... Their plain, vegetarian spaghetti??? SLAMS. I can't even tell you why. It's something with how they season the sauce? Like it has spiced oil in it? I dunno, friend. It just is what it is on that one. Try it. My only complaint is that I always want more sauce, and when I ask for extra sauce... I get THE same amount. You really have to advocate for yourself in there if you're trying to get laced in sauce. read more

I really enjoy Ethiopian food and there are a couple of places I have on my list that I frequent but a friend was in town and recommended Red Sea. The food and experience was overall good. The only reason I have to give 4 stars instead of 5 is because the food was almost unenjoyably spicy. Now I know Ethiopian food is generally pretty spicy, but this was a whole other level. We couldn't even finish our food it was so hot, and we didn't even get something that has multiple fire signs (which, by the way, I appreciated the indicators of the level of heat and we followed it!). I'm not quite sure I'll come back here, but if you like a high level of heat, this is definitely the place to go! The food was tasty and the atmosphere and service were both quality. read more

This is possibly the worst Ethiopian food that I have ever consumed. Wait, scratch that. This is BY FAR the worst Ethiopian food that I have ever consumed! I can't even pretend to contemplate about it... it is what it is. I came here last year for the first time and had dinner in their bar area. I ordered their Red Sea Combo which consisted of samples of their chicken, lamb, and beef entrees along with salad, spinach and lentils. All of the meats seemed a bit tough and lacked tremendously in spice. Although it was underwhelming, it was still edible, so I finished everything. While driving past one day, I noticed that they had a $7.99 lunch buffet special during the week. I told myself that I would come back and try it out since the price was so reasonable. At least with a buffet, I could choose what items that I wanted versus being stuck with what comes on the combo plate that I previously had. I finally made my way there to try out their lunch buffet a few weeks ago. Terrible. This food really shouldn't even qualify to be called Ethiopian or Eritrean. First off, everything was damn near cold. It looked like they simply just threw everything in buffet pans and sat it under heat lamps. Nothing was covered, so any type of heat that may have been present escaped from being exposed to the cold air. The lentils were super watery and extremely bland. Everything was bland. There was no spice. No flavor. No nothing. I couldn't finish my first plate because the food tasted so gross. I don't know why I did it, but I took my chances and got a second plate of food. After all, it IS a buffet, right?! Nope. I shouldn't have done it. At this point, I actually started feeling sick and couldn't eat anymore. The consistency of the lentils... I can't even describe it. It was just bad. There was basically no service whatsoever. I couldn't find anyone when I first came in and I had to wait at the counter for someone to come out of the back when I was ready to pay and leave. There was barely anyone else in there, and now I know why. Even at the cheap price of $8, this buffet was not worth it at all. I honestly wouldn't have paid a dime for this food if I had a choice. It looked and damn near tasted like dog food. With all of the other Ethiopian restaurants in the neighborhood, I'm shocked that this place is still even in operation. read more

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I called in to order take out on sat July 18. The people are really nice and accommodating. I ordered the following: Veggie combo: delicious. Comes with red lentils, yellow lentils, braised collard greens, a potato/carrot in yellow sauce and okra/potato in red sauce Kitfo: this comes with a side of collard greens, seasoning and cheese on side. The beef is served raw so have them cook it to your liking if needed. This is one of my favorite Eritrean dishes but unfortunately this one did not pass muster. The beef was full of gristle and I had to spit out chewy bites in every bite. Taking off 1.5 stars for They give 4 big injera for the 2 boxes of food. The portions are big and delicious, just skip the kitfo. read more

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This spot has outdoor dining right now and is open on Sundays! The food was very good! Both dishes have a ton of flavor. The bread was way better than any other Ethiopian restaurant I have been too. It was thicker and had a super soft texture. The sambosa reminded me so much of samosas. They were crunchy and delicious but I really preferred the meat one over the veggie. If you have never had Ethiopian food before I highly recommend this place, and get one the hot sebhi dorho. It's such a great dish. Not too spicy and has 3 chicken drumsticks and a hard boiled egg. The chicken is very tender and falling off the bone. Very safe choice for a first timer. I hope you check this place out. read more

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Just delicious! We ordered the Red Sea sample and the lamb.. all I can say is that my husband and I are definitely coming back. We had the Bedele Special Beer .. it's an Ethiopian beer. Light and smooth. The price was ok. Our total was $40.00 The service was great. Our waitress was knowledgeable and courteous:) read more

Food took a long time to come out, but the quality and taste made it worth it. It's super flavorful and well portioned.

My daughter enjoyed this place. I did not care for it as much, in comparison to other Ethopian restaurants we have tried. I thought it would be a better restaurant ambience style considered its location. However, you can tell it was an old bar or club, without any updating. We tried the gored gored and I found it to be too heavily seasoned. My 19 year old enjoyed herself and even took some home. She stated she would return here to eat. The customer service was nothing to exalt. We were taken care of but nothing outside of basic service read more

We drove an hour from home for our first restaurant meal in 15 months at Red Sea. The anticipation was an event in itself. We have missed their delicious Ethiopian food. We ordered the vegetarian combo, and the Red Sea combo (which includes chicken and lamb.) There is a little bit of fresh salad on the plate to compliment the flavors, but I recommend getting a combo so you can have a variety of tastes. If you are with a group of people, then everyone can order something different and they will put the dishes all together on the same plater. Of course, we eat with our hands as is the custom, but they did provide a fork. If you have never had Ethiopian/Eritrean food, then go for a food adventure and go to Red Sea. read more

Family wanted Ethiopians and my youngest always comes here so we ordered the combo and added an additional vegetarian. The woman serving me was kind and they gave us a lot of food. For 5 people, I could have foregone the extra vegetarian order. My daughter liked the food but I thought it was just good. The injera was a little sour for me and the food just a little too spicy. I'm a wimp with spice so it could just be me. With that said, I would eat here again. read more

I think in my past life I was a Habesha woman (or man... Or whatever, really) because I could probably live off of Ethiopian food for the rest of my days. Red Sea has been catering to my long lasting love for decades now and has never failed to impress me. I once found out a coworker's relative was having their wedding catered by Red Sea and spent months doing small favors in hopes of getting an invite. No dice. But at least I can still make my way over and enjoy a delicious veggie combo (spicy, please) for less than $15. It's an enormous amount of food and can easily be shared by 3 people. Definitely worth trying! Best E-tee-yo-yo in Oakland. read more

I wasn't sure if I would like Ethiopian food and it wouldn't have been the first thing to come to mind when looking for a place to eat. However, I'm always up to try something new and after seeing it on Check Please, decided to give it a shot. We started with the meat sambusa which was nice and crisp and quite tasty. Just place your napkin under it to avoid dropping your filling on the table. Then we shared the Red Sea Combo and the Tumtumo family style that is served over its own ingera in addition to the large piece we each got to help us scoop up all the goodness. There are no utensils so wash those hands before you start and probably after you're done if you like to eat with gusto. If you are concern about the spiciness factor, the mild has just a small kick for those who don't like spicy and the hot should satisfy those who are spicy fanatics. The Red Sea Combo had the lamb and vegetable items mild and the chicken and beef on the spicier side. Finally it is very nicely priced, all that was mentioned plus drinks, tax, and tip was less than $20 per person for dinner. read more

The best vegetarian combo plate in town! By far my favorite Ethiopian spot in Oakland.

I hadn't had Ethiopian in awhile which is surprising since Temescal seems to be a hotbed of Ethiopian / Eritrean restaurants. We saw a Living Social deal and it spurred us to try Red Sea for lunch. They have a $6.99 AYCE lunch buffet or you can order off the menu. I went with the buffet, but since 3 of 5 dishes were beef or chicken, the g/f ordered the Shrimp Alitcha and we got some Sesame Seed Hummus to share. It took awhile for the shrimp to come out so it was good we got the Hummus (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eGyLFp5WSIk9kPuvA7dOWw?select=bkrfMF_dGoo7VJ1cysB4lA) which the menu said would come with pita, but came with sliced toasted white bread instead. Nice lemoniness, not much garlic flavor. The buffet had a beef stew, chicken & potatoes, chicken & spinach, lentils, potatoes, rice (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eGyLFp5WSIk9kPuvA7dOWw?select=jCmdmKTG_mZVj_wWbwe3mQ) and injera (the spongy flatbread). Decent variety of dishes and I thought everything was well cooked and seasoned. The lentils (which were described as Mild in the menu) were the spiciest dish. The injera was sour and springy as it should be. Finally after about 25 minutes the shrimp dish arrived. With the shrimp was a small salad and a side of the lentils all on top of a piece of injera (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eGyLFp5WSIk9kPuvA7dOWw?select=ytCwK3VRT9k_K9Is_qqkiA) with another whole piece of injera on the side. We were not expecting the small baby shrimp, but this also was well spiced and was a nice portion for $9.95 As mentioned, service was pretty slow and the one waitress disappeared into the back for seemingly long stretches of time. Don't order off the menu at lunch, if you're in a hurry. read more

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We didn't die, which is good, but when I went to the restroom and saw the way the meats were hanging in a back room (not refrigerated), I definitely questioned the health code compliance of the restaurant. It was only afterwards that I saw the violations from the health department (thanks, Yelp!). The food was really slow to come out and barely warm, and the server was clearly overwhelmed (working by herself to wait on tables). read more

Excellent restaurant, large portions of tasty Ethiopian food, with highly attentive service. The Ethiopian beer was great, I recommend the Asmara beer, and the appetizer is definitely worth trying 100%-- go with the VEGETABLE SAMBUSA ($2.50). The only downside was the wait time for the food--our toddler was bouncing off the walls by the time the it came (half hour and we were the only ones in the restaurant) . However the warm, friendly service and the excellent food made us easily overlook that flaw, and overall is what makes this a four star experience and restaurant. I had the hot gored-gored beef plate which went nice with my Ethiopian beer (see pics). I used a Google offers deal for $24 worth of food fare that I bought for $12. Plenty of street parking available. Spacious dining area The buffet is popular! read more

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Ordered takeout and Hal was friendly, taking my order without the RESTAURANT.COM coupon with his discount. Upon arrival, the waitress gave me one bag. I was nice and tipped them for their service. Unbeknownst to me, I got home and I was missing two dishes. Tried calling 20 or more times and nobody answered. Because it was Mother's Day, I drove back 20 miles (yes, gasoline is $5.50/gallon), to show them the order was incomplete! She handed the second bad that she neglected to give me. After spending an hour and $10 on gas, all I get is "I'm sorry". I should have asked for my tip back. Very disappointing customer service to correct an honest mistake THEY made. Mother's Day not a good ending, $10 on gas, late dinner, and an hour wasted driving back to Oakland. read more

I ordered delivery for my husband on Father's day and the meal was wholly disappointing. We got the red sea combo and the meat was over charred which is just a nice way of saying burnt. Usually the combo has lentils and vegetables there was none. I specifically ordered mild and received spicy. I used to frequently go to this restaurant. When my Eritrean friend stopped going here that should have been a hint. If you want truly delicious Eritrean/ Ethiopian food let me recommend either Asmara on Telegraph across from Walgreens or further down Telegraph in Berkeley across from KFC is Addis. Do not waste your money here when there are plenty of other places. read more