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    Shewhat

    4.9 (345 reviews)
    ModerateEthiopian, Eritrean
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated a few days ago

    Order Shewhat Takeout or Delivery

    Shewhat Photos

    Business Info

    SHEWHAT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Shewhat

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    Reviews With Photos

    12. Abby's Veggie Combo
    Halim C.

    Had some of the best food and experience. Ordered the Abby Vegetarian Special. She brought us this cinnamon tea after. Soo good, tasty!

    Shewhat Special
    Kyra K.

    Companion and I got Ethiopian food which was quite memorable. He wanted to take us out for it again but somewhere new. We chose Shewhat based on the rave reviews. We arrived around the opening on a weekday evening. For the majority of our meals, we were the only customers. The outdoor patio is airy, colorful, and cozy. There's also indoor seating. Being the only customers, we were well cared for by the lovely owner and cook. After an hour, the dinner crowd started rolling in and their small team had to juggle that so it did take a bit to get our check. We understand and appreciate her kindness and hospitality. Companion and I love to share so we got the Shewhat Special which comes with vegan and meat items. On a giant plate is a variety of greens, lentils, and meats with injera. You eat with your hands which always adds to the fun. My favorites were the lentils and collard greens. Some items are more spicy but everything is well-seasoned and flavorful. This was the perfect amount for the two of us! If you're looking for Ethiopian or Eritrean food, Shewhat is worth a try! We were happy to have come and tried a new spot. The restaurant is off Shattuck Ave. and can be easy to pass up but they have parking in front plus on the street!

    Mariam J.

    This is some of the best Eritrean food I've had (and im used to aunties and grandmas making home cooked habesha food). The owner was so kind and service was so quick. We got the sambusa for appetizer, the Merhaba plate and meat combo and both were so yummy and well-seasoned and more than enough food for the two of us. All our food was placed on one large plate which we shared and didn't bother us but might be an issue for other people. We chose to eat outside on the patio and it was decorated so well and had really nice ambiance and it also stayed really warm despite the cold weather so that was nice. Only downside is that i wish they offered a few more things like doro wat but this is just because it is one of my favorite dishes and is not a real downside. All in all a great place, I will definitely be going back

    Deepthi T.

    I was in Oakland last weekend and I'm so happy I had a chance to go to Shewat. It was nice out, so we sat in this cute outdoor patio. The space was clean and the service was really good, we got great recommendations for the menu for a vegetarian meal. We started out with the lentil sambusa, it was spicy, so delicious with a sweet chili side sauce. It came out hot and crispy! We shared the Abby Veggie Combo which comes with Simo's Special, Vegan Sampler & Shiro. This comes with injeria rolls. This serves two so we added the Mushroom Tibsy: Mushrooms sautéed with onions tomato, garlic and Berbere. The food was absolutely incredible!! The mushroom dish and okra were so flavorful. All of the lentils were outstanding. Everything was seasoned so well, delicious, not heavy. It was such a memorable meal to share. This is the best Ethiopian/Eritrean spot I've had! I highly highly recommend visiting Shewat, they really knocked it out of the park.

    Family style... Chicken Tibsy and Spinach,  Mushroom Tibsy and Shewhat Vegan Sampler
    Mayari A.

    First time coming here when a few friends. I love ambiance and the decor. Our server was nice and came by often to fill our water. The food..... was absolutely amazing, it was so good. I was in heaven. I will definitely come back and recommend.

    Robbie P.

    It doesn't get ANY better. This spot has been one of my favorite Bay Area restaurants since it was shouted out on a Nicole Danner YouTube video. It SO lives up to the hype!! The injera is perfect, and can't recommend the Mushroom entree enough. Can't wait to eat leftovers tomorrow. Also, the sweet woman who runs this restaurant is so kind and attentive. She's full of joy, making this experience even better. I'll be back in a couple weeks!

    Focus on the spread and size (not this gentleman)
    Darius W.

    Yes! Owner Abby Dair does it all! She what? Yes, she takes the orders, hooks up the grills and meals and serves customers with a lot of culture and culinary art! Very personable and proud of her culture, Abby excitedly told us about the dishes on the menu. Consistent with the culture, she served a beautiful meat and veggie spread family-style for my wife and I to dig in with the injera. Even the very large plates were authentic with visual stories seen and told on them. Yes, we finished majority of our food to see the underlying artwork. Sure, it was comfort food. More importantly, the comfort came from Abby's vibrant energy and her beautiful love language as expressed through her traditional dishes. I was a first-timer but I hope to be a regular! Please support great small businesses!

    Kaitlin K.

    So delicious. We got the two sampler platters which was perfect for 3 very hungry people. There is indoor and covered outdoor seating with music but not too loud outside.

    Shewhat Special
    Audrey I.

    Shewhat, with nearly 5 stars on Yelp, is clearly an East Bay favorite for Ethiopian cuisine. I've always wanted to try it and despite spending 3 years at Berkeley during undergrad, I somehow never found the time to visit. But, a year into my post-grad life, I've made it. And, it was worth the wait! I came with a friend on a Saturday evening and was surprised to find not wait. We ordered the Shewhat Special which included the vegan combo, a chicken and spinach dish, salad, and Ziggni (beef stew) all served atop a generous layer of injera with additional rolls on the side. The portion was more than sufficient for two, leaving us stuffed and satisfied at the end. The flavors, as expected from a 5 star establishment, were nothing short of remarkable. The stews and curries all offer a comforting richness -- something like that of home cooking and what I'd imagine a loving Ethiopian mom would prepare. The beef chunks and chicken morsels were simmered to tender perfection and the vegetables were hearty without feeling heavy. The injera? Probably the highlight. Incredibly porous, tangy, and ideal for soaking up every drop of stew. My only downside is the service as it took quite a long time to receive the check post-meal, but minor delay aside, everything else was great.

    Abby veggie combo
    Ashwini A.

    SERVICE - located across from a park in an otherwise residential neighborhood - limited parking available in lot or plenty of street parking nearby - most seating is outside in the covered patio - we called ahead of time to make sure we got a table as the operation is small and can only serve a limited number of customers - waiter is very friendly and serves food quickly - ambiance good for casual meal MENU - decent selection of Ethiopian dishes and combos - average price ($19 per entree) FOOD - abby veggie combo (7/10): all the vegan dishes except the mushroom served on top of injera bread with a healthy amount of lettuce. This combo is a great option to try a lot of dishes and share between 2-4 people. I liked how everything tastes authentic and each one had a slightly different taste. Some were spicier while others were more fresh. The lettuce pile in the middle was too salty to eat on its own. The injera was more sour than what I was used to which may have just been due to over fermenting in the heat. I would have liked more quantity of the side dishes as they only occupied a ring around the edge of the plate. WOULD I GO BACK? If I lived closer than maybe.

    Abby's Veggie Combo
    Ari Z.

    This was a delicious and delightful meal. My friend and I shared Abby's Veggie Combo and we left so full and satisfied. The injera is delicious and I loved trying all the different flavors. My favorite out of the platter was the red lentils. The okra and spinach were so flavorful. Highly recommend getting one of their combos to share!

    Sue K.

    Can never pass up an opportunity for Ethiopian food -- visited Shewhat and was not disappointed! As a perk, it boasts one of THE coziest covered patio areas I've come across. Got a combo platter with chickpeas, lentils, spinach, chicken, and beef and it was the perfect amount for two. Lettuce was a welcome addition, as it provided a nice crunch to each bite. Only complaint is that the injera rolls don't come in a separate bowl -- they got way too soggy after sitting in a pool of wot. Service is extremely quick and friendly. I'll be back!

    Mushroom and crispy lamb tibsy

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    4 years ago

    Phenomenal food great service the Ethiopian beer was great... Priced super reasonable I plan to come back in the next couple days my parents

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    3 years ago

    Delicious food. Great service. Heavenly bread. Is very calming environment. What more could you ask for?

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Delicious food, fast service and amazing ambiance. We were served by the owner and she was a joy. Needless to say I will be back often

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    4 years ago

    Great! Tasty, reasonable/ normal price, good gluten free options. Had a great experience

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    5 years ago

    Great service, excellent food. Get the traditional coffee!

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    Delicious food and wonderful service! Everything was phenomenal. Must stop if you're in town :)

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    8 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Delicious food and amazing service. I got the shewhat meat and veggie combo. I can't wait to go back!

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    3 years ago

    This is an absolutely fabulous place with great food, friendly staff, and a fun ambiance. You will not be disappointed.

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    6 years ago

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    Page 6 of 9

    Ask the Community - Shewhat

    Do you have atakilt on your menu? Is it served as one of the items on the veggie sampler plate?

    Yes we do have

    Is there alcohol? Can I bring a bottle of wine or is there no liquor license?

    Yea you can bring .but we r going to charge you corkage ….

    Do you offer halal options?

    Yes they do!

    Is the injera made with 100% teff - or is there an option to choose so?

    100%teff flour

    View All 5 Questions

    Enssaro Ethiopian Restaurant

    Enssaro Ethiopian Restaurant

    4.2
    (1.7k reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    came in on memorial day bc I was in the area, and a family friend recommended this place :)…read more Quickly seated for a party of one, average sized lunch crowd Servers were great, helpful, and kind Food & drink: - Sampled the classic honey wine! Def sweet & kinda strong for me but still loved hehe - Another server said her fave was the honey pineapple cider wine and it fsho didn't disappoint; came in a cinnamon-lined glass and tasted more apple than pineapple haha but not complaining at all, just noticing - small plate of chicken w/ red lentils -- came w/ injera and salad --- HELLA SHMACK (usually at Ethiopian restaurants, I get the samplers to split w/ friends) since I came in solo, I got the small plate today. I thought I'd need more injera, but the serving was actually a perfect size bc I even needed a to-go box **can't wait to visit again!! though they did note their moving locations soon

    The food was delicious and prices were reasonable for the large quantity. Deducting a star because…read moreit's so loud here I could barely hold a conversation. I'm glad they've moving locations in a week. Wait staff was friendly. We got the veggie sampler for two ($40) and the meat sampler for one ($23). The veggie sampler was very filling, and each dish was flavorful. My friends enjoyed the meat dishes. The dishes came with plenty of injera. The spicy red lentils were my favorite as well as the carrot/cabbage/potato mix. I can't stomach onions so I was happy none of the veggie dishes included chunks in them. They were probably in there but blended or cooked down to nothing. My friend is diabetic so he couldn't eat a lot of the injera. We asked and the wait staff brought him eating utensils. When we entered, we stood around for a while and then figured out we were supposed to go to the back right where there's a few chairs put together for a waiting area. I flagged down a staff member and they had me put my name on a wait list. We were there early on a Friday (around 6pm), so we only had a short wait. Although this place has a decent amount of tables, I can imagine long waits during peak times. I'm glad they're moving to a new location in about a week and I hope it's quieter. We sat in the semi enclosed outside area and even there was loud. Voices echo throughout and since the restaurant is near a stoplight outside, cars and motorcycles blaring music go by constantly. Many were so loud just about the entire restaurant turned their heads to look at what was so noisy. As soon as we finished eating I suggested we leave since I could barely hear our conversation.

    Photos
    Menu
    Menu
    DORO WOT ( chicken stew ), BEEF Tibs, LAMB Tibs
    DORO WOT ( chicken stew ), BEEF Tibs, LAMB Tibs
    Amazing Cocktails: Espresso Martini, Honey Wine Pineapple Cider, Honey wine, Campari

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    Amazing Cocktails: Espresso Martini, Honey Wine Pineapple Cider, Honey wine, Campari
    Admas

    Admas

    4.4
    (90 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    ADMAS is definitely my favorite place to go whenever I visit the Cities! The food, the vibe, and…read morethe culture are absolutely amazing. The service is a 10/10 every single time, and the food is truly the best of the best. I've never had any complaints when coming here. Everything is always fresh, flavorful, and made with care. I 100000000000% recommend this amazing place to anyone looking for great food and a welcoming atmosphere. I love being able to connect with my people and my culture, and ADMAS always feels like home.

    First off, I ordered for delivery…read more I love Ethiopian and Eritrean food, so I was excited to see this spot finally open for deliveries in my neighborhood! I think I've eaten at the majority of Ethiopian restaurants in Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco, so I'm a fan. Sadly, I was NOT a fan of this spot. :( (For context, I tried to go back to the delivery app to give a review, but the window for leaving a review had closed.) I looked over the menu and I was suspicious that there was no standard Doro Wot for delivery, but, whatevs --sometimes restaurants leave off certain items on delivery apps. I got the Chicken Tibs and Beef Tibs. The beef was spiced, but the chicken tasted bland and watery. Both seemed to be missing salt. The beef tibs was tougher than I'm used to. Maybe it was an off day. The Yemisir Wot (stewed red lentils) was flavorful. The vegetarian combo was a complete miss for the price and the portions were super small. The Tikil Gomen (cabbage, carrots, potatoes) looked like one tablespoon had been scooped out and put on the injera. It came with Yemisir Wot, Yekik Alicha (yellow spiced lentils), beets(???), Gomen (collards), and green salad (though I don't remember getting the green salad in my combo). The Gomen (collards) were super bland and tasted like reheated frozen collards. My last issue is that the a-la-carte items are photographed with a small salad and injera, pretty standard (see attached image from site). Unfortunately, the a-la-carte options came singularly in a container with a side of injera. Bummer. If I hadn't included the vegetarian combo, I probably would've been even more upset. What I did like: --- - The Tikil Gomen and Yemisir Wot were well spiced and tasty. - Plenty of injera, almost too many. I think my biggest issue is that given the portion size, most items are between $16 - $24, so if you're looking to have a rounded meal (injera, vegetables, meat), you're going to have to order multiple items and that adds up fast; it will be cheaper if you just eat in or call them and order for pick-up. (I'm also kind of bummed because I was rooting for them since they are in the space where Casa Vallarta used to be.) If you plan to go, I'd suggest sticking to the vegetarian options.

    Photos
    Dining room area. We forgot to take a picture of the food. Ate it too fast.
    Dining room area. We forgot to take a picture of the food. Ate it too fast.
    Gored gored, disappointing chicken doro wot, vegetable combo, & lamb tibs
    Gored gored, disappointing chicken doro wot, vegetable combo, & lamb tibs
    Admas

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    Zara Restaurant

    Zara Restaurant

    4.2
    (26 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    First time trying Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine and it was delicious. I really appreciated the staff…read morefor being patient with us and explaining the dishes we had questions on. The portion size is like having a feast - definitely perfect for sharing. The injerito was a great appetizer, love the silky and soft texture of the injera. I ordered the House Special Sampler which was a great option for me because I wanted to try as many dishes as I could. From the choices of meat, the beef was my favorite. I ate it with the rice from the "Lamb with Rice" dish - very perfect pairing. The rice and beef were packed with so much flavor - every bite was a sensation. If you're looking for a great Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine, I highly suggest this place!

    Food 4/5 I went with…read morethe vegetarian platter which is my go to wherever possible. My food was made to order and came out within a reasonable timeframe. Everything had a good flavor balance except the Gomen. For my taste buds it could use more seasoning. The whole platter was delectable. Just one thing, a gnat showed up and landed on my other roll of injera so I did not eat it. Service 4/5 KEren, the owner is soft spoken and kind. I told her the spelling of her name was unique to the traditional spelling Karen. She greeted me as soon as I entered. At this time there were no customers. She brought me the drinks menu and the food menu accompanied with a pitcher of water. I feel a pitcher of water should be offered at every restaurant for your table. Minimizes the requests for refills. On a warm sunny day like today hydration is paramount. Keren returned moments later to take my order. Ambiance 3/5 Clean. Neat. A little bare. Four big screen televisions though for those who are into watching TV. There's a bar with a limited alcohol selection. Happy Hour is offered from 4-8pm. No days specified. There's two restrooms. One for women and one for men. The women's is missing the door have handle. Inside the one person restroom it's very clean and stocked with all the basics you need.

    Photos
    Minimal art work but nice
    Minimal art work but nice
    Because... there's a no crumbs left behind policy.
    Because... there's a no crumbs left behind policy.
    Zara Restaurant

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    Shewhat - ethiopian - Updated June 2026

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