Stopped here on the way to catch a flight home. A wonderful family owned restaurant. The seating…read morewas very American, I was hoping for more traditional basket tables and stools...but never the less clean and bright location. We were the only patrons at the time so service was good and fast. We ordered a variety platter of meat and veggies. The food was amazing. The beef top had great flavor and the chicken was tinder. Overall, this was a great experience. I do wish they carried Ethiopian honey wine, but they did have some good Ethiopian beer!

This is a nice family owned place, food always comes out hot and fresh but it certainly takes a…read morewhile so cut out at least 90 minutes for your visit. We got the Meat Combo Plater which had 4 different dishes included, all very tasty (see photo for description)! But I was left wanting a little more spice/heat. The menu say this player would feed 2 but I have a smaller appetite so I think it could easily feed 3 or 4. Also when you're ready to pay, you go up to the counter and wait for a person to appear to ring you up (which can be confusing if you've never been there before).

It has been a very long while since I have had Ethiopian, and I heard that Dilla's was the place to…read moretry in the Twin Cities. After a brief adventure thanks to Apple Maps, we arrived. There is a large paid lot right next to the restaurant, so parking was easy. We did arrive early--right at 5, so that probably helped. We were seated pretty quickly as well. As others have noticed, the service is quite slow (there seems to be only one person working the front of the house), though that felt like it was part of the experience--there was a distinct "gathering place" vibe, and there were plenty of regulars who were engrossed in conversation... it seemed like everyone was family there. The decor added to the family/community feel, with art, textiles, and wicker ware all contributing to a homey feel. Of course what you're really wondering about is the food. It's quite tasty. We started with the veggie sambusas, which were hot and crispy and came with a spicy tomato chutney that was just delicious. We also ordered the fule, which was quite tasty and filling. I loved the seasonings and textures. My favorite dish, though, was Dilla's Mix. It was absolutely beautiful to behold thanks to the jewel-toned beets and golden squash, and the juices of the veggies combined with the spices to create a glorious sauce. It was very comforting and oh-so-satisfying. Of course, all was served with springy injera to scoop it up with. Their injera is a bit lighter and milder than some that I have had elsewhere, but it does the trick nicely. As others have mentioned, Dilla's serves entrees in their own dishes, which is great if you are a group that likes to share.

Small spot for good Ethiopian food. Pros: Good flavors, friendly servers and appreciated they were…read morewilling to create a veggie+meat combo for me - the menu only has veggie or meat combos. Cons: only 4 parking spots and their catering van was in one of them. Server disappeared for long periods of time though there were few tables. The injera was very cold, which made the food get cold fast. Especially since the room was very cold (the server was wearing a down coat).

Caspian is an experience from the dining to the market. They have all the classic Persian options…read morelike the saffron rice with different types of kebab. The family is incredible, they are friendly to all their customers. Recently had Caspian catering - it was beautifully set up & so tasty. The rice is buttery and fluffy while the tadig was perfectly crispy. The kebabs were cooked nice and seasoned so well.

Dining here was a fun experience. The menu was full of traditional Persian and Turkish foods. I had…read moreamazing tea and baklava as well. The service was so friendly and welcoming to our large group! The ambience is relaxed. Definitely check out the marketplace to bring some cultural foods home with you.

Before commenting on the food taste and quality, I want to emphasize how important it is for this…read moreestablishment to exist in such a neighborhood. Normally, daily Ethiopian food that's not in the US are vegan, so what is offered here is closer to what's authentically made in Ethiopian culture. I enjoyed pretty much all the dishes I had, and I would recommend this spot to anyone who wants good vegan food. My friends had the awaze tibs, which contained seitan, a high protein meat substitute, and it was seasoned very well, having an adequate amount of spice. I ordered the mushroom tibs, and it was okay, because it tasted as if the only seasoning was salt, and it was a bit dry, which indicated that the mushrooms were overcooked. In addition to such, we had a few veggies on the samplers, including miser, ater kik, gomen, fasolia, and keysir. They all had a good amount of seasoning and in general tasted good with the injera. I would say, though, that they may have all needed a bit more mekelesha, because I have had more vibrant-tasting versions of all of those veggies elsewhere. One thing worth noting was that shiro wasn't one of the options for the veggie sampler, so I had to order a separate portion of shiro, since I considered it necessary when consuming Ethiopian food in general, and it tasted good, in a conventional manner. It seems like per the menu that they have a shiro wot now, which indicates how popular it is among customers.

Lulu's is casual, family owned, and full of flavor! I visited for the first time with friends who…read moreare vegetarian - and it was such a treat to be able to order anything on the menu and know that nothing would contain meat! The Wot and rice are the definition of comfort food, the falafel were crispy, and the mushrooms came out of the kitchen sizzling. Service was quick and incredibly kind. Next time you're looking for a new, vegetarian/vegan bite - definitely come to Lulu's!

When your wife and in-laws are Lebanese and make the best authentic versions of the food you've…read moreever had there's always the quest to find something close to that bar, and going to many different Lebanese restaurants around the world looking for that same quality never stops but is never met.... until that one night and one restaurant knocks you out of your chair and you can't stop thinking about the amazing cuisine right in your own backyard. This was that such night! The Awaijane family has brought their family tradition in great Lebanese cuisine since 1973 and maintained by their children generation after generation, and through their fresh grape leaves, perfectly pan baked Kibbeh (OMG and the raw!!!!), lemon kissed Tabbouleh, & authentically cured Labneh, we intended to take it to go but it was so irreisistable we sat down and ate half of it on site. Don't let the quaint store front on University pass you by, the the truly authentic food amaze you, and the family friendly service bring you back!

How is it that I have never reviewed Emily's before now? I have been a loyal customer for over 30…read moreyears and have always enjoyed this small, yet mighty restaurant. For ambiance, well, let's say it's authentic in types of a typical Middle Eastern Restaurant that is in the Middle East (not the US) meaning that it is sparse. Whatever, that's not why you come here. There used to be a woman who occupied one table peeling about 10,000 garlic cloves. Again, typical (sadly, I have not seen her lately). Service is good. There are not very many tables, so it's not much of a challenge to see the entire restaurant at one time. However, they are attentive and happy to answer all questions. Food: This is why you here. They literally (and I do mean literally) have the best Tabouli salad I have ever tasted anywhere in the world. The menu says it is made fresh every day and it is. Freshness is the absolute key to good tabouli and if it's not fresh, it's not worth eating. Let me say this again: This is the BEST tabouli you can find and if you think you don't like tabouli, at least give theirs a try. But Emily's has much more than tabouli. I love their lamb shish kabob. If you are not a fan of lamb, their chicken kabob is also excellent. Both of them come with an excellent rice pilaf. Pro Tip: You can get a full portion that comes with soup or salad, just a skewer, or half a skewer. Their humus is good, but perhaps not as favorable as other versions I've had. I can also vouch for their spinach pie, which is a great price too. And of course, you can't go wrong without a piece of baklava for dessert. They do have an upstairs eating area that is used for groups. I had not seen this until I went upstairs to use their restroom and saw it on the way. This is a neighborhood gem of a small, family owned quality restaurant. I hope they stay in business for another 50 plus years!

I've been here twice now and I've been thoroughly satisfied both times. The food is amazing, and…read morethere's a great variety to choose from. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful, and the decor is lovely. This is definitely going to be a regular spot for me!

My go-to Ethiopian catering spot in the Twin Cities and I finally had a chance to eat here in…read moreperson. Huge plus is the dietary accommodations. I ate here with someone who needed gluten free options & they make GF injera here so was perfect. We thoroughly enjoyed the Super Veggie Sampler. I saw someone mention getting the Ethiopian coffee or tea and I didn't want too much caffeine so opted for the tea but was a little disappointed that it didn't come in a cool tea pot I saw in other Yelp photos. It was ok tasting after putting some sugar in but I would pass on the tea next time. The server was nice and there were enough tables for a late lunch on a Thursday but it felt a little humid inside. The food is so good that I can overlook the other things. Def come check out this neighborhood gem.

One of the best dining experiences we had in a long time!…read moreUpon entering there, wasn't anyone at the hostess desk so we walked up to the counter and were quickly directed to the last remaining open booth in the restaurant. Our waitress came over and brought us water and menus right away. She asked if it was her first time there and we said yes, and she genuinely got excited about being able to explain the menu and the experience to us. She walked us through the options and made recommendations taking into account our an anticipated spice tolerance. We wanted to try a variety of things so opted for the half-and-half platter, which had three stews and three veggies - even though we were warned it might be a bit spicy. Based on her recommendation, we also got the rolled crispy kitfo roll appetizer. The food was delicious. Each bite had a different flavor and it was balanced well with the salads and veggies to tone down the spice when needed. Our favorites were the lamb stew and the beef stew but as we watched other items get delivered we were clearly making our list for what to try next visit. I can't understate how exceptional the service was. Our waitress was an absolute gem. She kept walked us through the menu, explained the way to eat the food with the injera and kept checking on us, even offering rice if it was too spicy. An extra bonus was we had a lovely couple next to us that had dined at the St. Paul location before and they asked us how we liked it, what our favorite was and also recommended a specific drink for our next visit. The food was great but the service and environment made it stellar. We will absolutely be back...hopefully soon!

Delicious Ethiopian/East African food in a small but cozy vibe. Don't feel embarrassed or shy and…read moreask questions about the food because the service here is very friendly and helpful. And yes, you must use your hands! I got the special so I would try some veggie and meat options. I enjoyed it but I think it would use more salt and spice. For drinks they have both alcohol and nonalcoholic options. I would come back but would pass on the desserts next time. Free street parking or parking in the back. I believe this is the same owners as the Bolé in St. Paul.

Wadajir manages to be the best grocery store on the West Bank despite having one-fifth as much…read morespace as anywhere else. As with many of the small groceries in this neighborhood, there is a plentiful supply of injera, pita and himbasha. One can also find all manner of Ethiopian spices here (berbere, mitmita, talatam, nech azmud, hulba) and a large selection of dried legumes, rice, and grains. I was happy to find teff flour, ghee, halva, and Ethiopian coffee beans as well. What is truly exceptional about Wadajir is that they manage to have a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand. Unlike the meager and rotting afterthoughts of other stores in the area, they have a rotating selection of papaya, avocado, yams, ginger, carrots, and cilantro. The owners here are very friendly. The only drawback is the size of the space as the entryway is a narrow walkway, and there is almost always a line.