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    Semai Restaurant & Lounge

    4.9 (14 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 3:00 am (Next day)

    Semai Restaurant & Lounge Photos

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    Rodrigo T.

    Never have I ever had Ethiopian food before. Nor would I even know where to begin. I've heard of it,, I've asked my Ethiopian co-workers what should I get if I ever encounter an Ethiopian spot. Two items in the menu came back at my like whoah. "Kitfo" and Doro. So with that being said,, I placed an order of the Kitfo. Just because I'm a sucker for something really exotic. Cooked however the chef preferred it. My friend Myra ordered other things as well. Like the Shira, Hamli and the Asa Kilwa. Shira: Chic pea puree' stew. I don't know what other spices was in that, but it was about the most divine form of garbanzo beans i have ever had in my life. Hamli: The collard greens,, OMG. Just super yummy. Out of this world. I could turn vegetarian with this dish. Ketfo: Ever since I seen Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern eat ketfo and enjoyed it. I've always wanted to have some as well. All I can say now is that this is my favorite Ethiopian dish. The ones served here is extreme yummylicious. Asa Kilwa: Yes!! The best for last. This fish dish is definitely a must have. Best thing out of everything ever ordered. It'll destroy a small planet,, for real. I've definitely enjoyed everything here. The service was totally awesome and the staff is super friendly. Would totally come back and smash here again. Thank you so much for reading my review. I hope this helps with your decision making experience. Enjoy your awesome yelptastic day!

    Delicious!

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    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Excellent food. Excellent and friendly service. More of a local crowd. Not many tourists. Good ambiance.

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    2 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Helpful 9
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    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Amazing food!!!! Garlic lentils, ground chick peas, tender beef!!!! Simply delicious and amazingly fresh!

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    Semai Restaurant & Lounge Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Semai Restaurant & Lounge

    I usually get the fish dish and the veg plate which is about $20- $30 (enough for 2 meals and a late night snack).

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Serengeti - interior

    Serengeti

    4.0(2 reviews)
    3.6 kmDapperbuurt, Oost
    €€

    I've walked up and down this street many times before I realized there's an Ethiopian/African place…read morehidden among the shops. The decor inside is great! It's two stories with the upper floor offering a large private table maybe for a birthday etc. Downstairs, I saw musical instruments and the owner mentioned they have live music sometimes. We were there on a Sunday night, so there wasn't music. The menu is Ethiopian, but offers other African dishes like Foufou or Mozambique samosas! I was also told that they can make Mozambique specialties if you arrange it beforehand, sounds intriguing!! We ordered a meat mix with the extra chicken, a vegeterian mix, and kitfo tartaar. I was surprised by the injera... I normally think it's a bit too sour for me and the sauces balance it out, but this one was very tasty on its own! From the other dishes, I liked Zigni on the meat platter the most. The sauce was very flavorful! The other dishes were a bit bland for me, could use a little more punch :) The service was very friendly, but at times a bit slow... for example, we asked for the spicy powder for the kitfo but had to wait quite a bit before we got it, so we ate a lot of it without it (you should definitely eat it WITH the powder!). We also were unlucky with the wine - it was not good at all. They were surprised when we told them and ended up just charging us for a half bottle. The honey wine on the other hand was very nice. The other issue we had was that we had a vegetarian with us and they mixed up the samosas so the one they told him is for him was actually chicken. He was not pleased at all! We asked them to replace it with a vegetarian one, but they charged us for the extra one. I've had a lot of Ethiopian and for me it was good but not amazing... and I'd like to come back and try more of it, also when their main chef is working to see if he can blow my mind :) They told us about a spicy green sauce for next time? I think you should swing by and experience it! The owners/staff are super nice and the atmosphere is also quite cozy and stands out in the neighborhood. I will write an update once I've experienced more of their menu.

    We came to Serengeti because out of all the Ethopian restaurants in Amsterdam the interior design…read moreseemed more like a restaurant and less like a cafeteria. We had wonderful food that i am still dreaming about, some honey wine that was definitely worth a taste, and a great hostess who catered to all of our needs. I would definitely try the samosas, I think they learned from their experience with the vegetarians, because I am one, and they were very on point in telling me which one had meat and which didn't. Also we got a nice explanation of what kinds of meat they use and from where they buy it, and the fact that they don't serve pork meat - which my boyfriend is not a fan of. All in all, I am definitely coming back. It's not a restaurant for a quick bite to eat, so take your time if you are going there and enjoy the ambiance.

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    Serengeti

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    Raïnaraï Westergasfabriek

    Raïnaraï Westergasfabriek

    3.7(22 reviews)
    3.3 kmWest
    €€€

    We had a wonderful Algerian lunch here while in Amsterdam . If you're craving that home cooked meal…read moreand want a healthy , large dish of delicious, tasty food then this is it! No menu, just tell the owner what you want and he'll prepare it for you as the menu changes daily. You pick your drink from the refrigerator and get to people watch the traffic outside your window who stare at the beautiful display of vegetables cooking and roasting inside . The smells are amazing! When your dish arrives 5 minutes after, you'll be stunned by the beautiful portion and will leave for sure on a full stomach. I wish I had room for the dessert as those looked amazing as well. The salmon was perfect, the yellow rice was aromatic and light, the vegetables were nicely grilled to perfection and the yogurt sauce on the side had a little spice that was nice. Thanks for a memorable meal- we really enjoyed it!!

    I was not really sure how to grade the food. For me it was not bad but just Ok. The only thing…read morewhich tasted exceptional was the bean soup. The service was really poor and I think that was due to management and not the servers. It toke about 15 minutes until someone approached the table because management decided to have the servers focus on setting the terrace. Although there was not one person sitting outside or a potential party for later. Also by the time we received our food they did not even bother to provide any silverware. So we had to grab our own silverware at another table in-order to eat. The servers must of spent most of their time outside setting up, instead of tending to their guest inside the restaurant. I blame management for all of it. This restaurant is a prime example of bad service because of bad management skills. I think what made it worst was the price did not match up with the quality of the food. I honestly believe this restaurant has ability to have some real potential because of it's space, location and ambiance. However when it comes to their chef and management, then I say thumbs down. On the other hand maybe your experience may be different, so I hope someone else yelps about this restaurant because I am very curious if this behavior is consistent.

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    Raïnaraï Westergasfabriek
    Raïnaraï Westergasfabriek
    Raïnaraï Westergasfabriek

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    Semhar - Veggie platter with fish

    Semhar

    4.1(17 reviews)
    3.1 kmJordaan, Centrum
    €€

    I went to Semhar with 13 friends for my birthday and it was by far my favorite Ethiopian experience…read more(mu sample size is 8 restaurants). Service: They were extremely accommodating for our large party and everyone was warm and welcoming. They really went the extra mile to provide a special experience for us, from the unveiling of the platters to the coffee ceremony. Food (most important part for me!): The vegetarian and meat platters we ordered were out of this world. Everything tasted fresh and well seasoned and the injera was the best I ever had. We loved the various spices used and each dish was cooked exactly how I like it. The date cake and Ethiopian coffee were also amazing. Ambiance: This also stood out for us. The lighting, scents, artwork and design added to the overall excellent experience. It was the perfect combination of cozy and lively. Price: The price per person was very reasonable for Amsterdam. There are a number of Ethiopian restaurants to choose from in Amsterdam but I highly recommend giving this one a try! Thank you Semhar for helping to make my birthday extra special :-)

    The food here is amazing!! My friend and I were a little spooked because we went to eat and were…read morethe only ones in the restaurant, but people slowly trickled in. We ordered one of the vegetarian selections and it was delightful. It was a massive amount of food but it was so good I couldn't stop eating it! I really enjoyed the spinach and the onions. Their honey wine is also delicious. This is my second Ethiopian restaurant I've been to but it definitely gets the title of my favorite. Seriously, this was so delicious. I wish I could eat here every day.

    Photos
    Semhar - Overheerlijk biertje

    Overheerlijk biertje

    Semhar
    Semhar - Twee maaltijden op 1 blad: een vegetarische met okra en een met vis

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    Twee maaltijden op 1 blad: een vegetarische met okra en een met vis

    Ethiopisch Eethuis Lalibela

    Ethiopisch Eethuis Lalibela

    4.0(26 reviews)
    4.8 kmOud West, Helmersbuurt, West
    €€

    Terrible Service…read more We came on a Monday night and there were three tables with people seated. We ordered the meat selection and the fried mushrooms and collard greens. The food was tasty (though the mushrooms were not fried but sautéed and the meats were dry and the portions tiny). But the service killed the night. We asked TWICE for wine that never came and the waitress just sat in the kitchen without bringing us drinks. Suuuuuuuper creepy. Then she added ten percent to my $46 euro bill on the visa machine. Tip? Surcharge? No idea. Never going back. Just terrible.

    I'm kind of torn between the Lalibela, Walia Ibex and the Addis Ababa. They are all very close in…read moreterms of finding an Ethiopian eating experience in of all places Amsterdam. But, that said, since I'm writing here, I guess I prefer Lalibela over the other two. Azifa, Meser Wot and tomato salad were as expected, as was the Shiro.... and I've been to Ethiopia more than several times. On the other hand, the Sega Alecha Wot was fabulous, IMHO. Begwot was delicious (yes I love lamb dishes), but don't be a moron and ask for it Ethiopian hot, white-boy Yankee spicy was more than enough for me. LOL. And of course, as we have to have everywhere, the Doro Wot was spot on! Note, make sure you take someone that has never had Ethiopian food, and watch them try and find the fork when the food arrives!!

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    Ethiopisch Eethuis Lalibela
    Ethiopisch Eethuis Lalibela - Coconut beer

    Coconut beer

    Ethiopisch Eethuis Lalibela - Coconut Beer :-)))

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    Coconut Beer :-)))

    Semai Restaurant & Lounge - bars - Updated June 2026

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