We ordered online and picked up. I paid upon arrival. Food was great. The only caution I share is parking. If you're unfamiliar with the situation, it could be quite unsafe going in and coming out of the parking lot. Even the UberEats drivers don't use the parking lot. read more

My friend and I split a beef dish, it was absolutely amazing! The staff was also very friendly and helpful, I really liked this place. I will be back and I would definitely recommend this place to friends and family ! read more

I was the lone customer in this East African place when I had a fit of starvation and dove into the first reasonable looking place I saw. The lovely woman who waited on me, created a cup of coffee for the ages. Coffee is made on a special setup on the floor. You always know the coffee is going to be special when it's poured out of those sideways pots. The food was excellent. I don't know whether they make their own injera (flat, porous bread) but it was especially tasty. I had an assortment of foods that is served in little clumps on the injera. The injera soaks up the juices and is my favorite part of this dinner. That and the cabbages. This not the place if you're looking for ambiance. I wasn't. read more

The food was soooo delicious and the sunset combo was HUGE! It fed 4 people for only $22! Service was super nice. We also got the meat combo ($20) and had to take that home (glad we did that because it made great leftovers). The waitress even bagged the leftovers for us. To eat at the restaurant, we got 2 orders of injera ($2). The injera was so soft and 2 orders was more than enough for 4 people. The place itself felt like I was at someone's house. It was a little smoky from what I think was incense. This place was a gem. This was my first time eating Ethiopian food and I'm looking forward to eating here again read more

Sunset Cafe - Sunset Combo (Special) - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Phenomenal Ethiopian and Eritrean food! The sunset combo was such a great size, especially for the price, and really came with an excellent variety of flavorful toppings- we especially loved the cabbage, beef tibs and super spongy injera, which we ordered extra of, but everything was devoured. Filled with locals and fun music videos playing to watch while you wait for your food. The staff were also so friendly! Next time would love to try their big Eritrean breakfast menu, and their jebena specialty coffee :) great place to stop on your way to or from seatac airport! read more

Sunset Cafe - Injera - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Always a great stop for breakfast when in town. The staff is friendly, fast, and have good recommendations. read more

Sunset Cafe - Bloody Maria - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Their food is delicious and reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. It also has a very clean and pleasant environment. read more

This place? Unreal. It's like someone scooped up my mom's cooking, added a sprinkle of sorcery, and served it on the softest, tangiest known to humankind. Every bite hit me with flavor and feelings--like, actual emotions. I legit had to sit back and reevaluate my life. If comfort food and flavor had a baby, it would be this. Easily the best thing I've put in my mouth, and if my mom ever finds out, I'm gonna have to pretend it wasn't that good (but it really was). read more

One of the best Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle. We ordered the sunset combo as it had both the meat and veggie platters. The portion was huge and could satisfy 2-3 people at a pretty low price, which made it all the better. While the beef and lamb were good, the highlight here was the lentils. The service was a bit slow even when there were not many customers, which was really the only downside. Otherwise I liked the space and the cozy environment. read more

Sunset Cafe - Sunset combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Service was amazing and the food was even better! The Veggie Platter was delicious and the tea we drank was a nice complement to it. Will definitely come here again when I'm in the area! read more

What an authentic spot. I am not going to get into the dishes because I have not had one dish that I did not love. Lentils are always on the bottom of my menu wish list. However, they knock the lentils out of the park. I ordered them all the time. Somebody really knows how to work in the kitchen and produce an amazing plates of Ethiopian food. It must be the love I cannot recommend any higher. I have shared it with so many friends and loves going back. Staff is very helpful if you have questions and love what they do. read more

Sunset Cafe - Sunset Combo (Special). May I recommend you order this if you want to try many things. Mmmmm - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Update: parking is still awful. Service is still charming. Food is still great. Noting much else to add, but got to say something to get this published. read more

In contrast to my previous experience, the order quality was truly not what I was expecting. I was looking forward to trying the collard greens by themselves as well as the veggie platter. Collard greens are one of my favorite part of Ethiopian platters and the last time I had the Sunset Platter, the vegetable sides really stood out in being very flavorful and light, so I wanted to try them by themselves without the meat. Wow... It's almost like they got a new chef because nothing in this meal tasted like the previous experience. First, with the gomen/collard greens, they did not cut the stem as usual, making it very tough to eat. The gomen also came with spicy peppers embedded throughout and tasted like it was dumped with a cup of salt. I tried my best to finish what I could but it was really bad. Extremely salty and unnecessarily spicy and the juice was not removed well, so the injera was very soggy. This is a stark contrast from the collard greens that are usually served in platters which have stems removed, are very sweet, and light. The veggie platter itself was really bland. Each side did not have much flavor and although I usually love their lentils, they had no flavor and all. I'm wondering how this is possible? I'm so disappointed and would hate to not come here again because of the great experience last time, but there was nothing redeeming about this. read more

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I've been here pre and during covid, and the it never disappoints! I usually get the sunset combo which is a solid deal for the price. For me, it's equivalent to 4 meals (granted I'm petite). They provide a lot of injera and I really like the taste of their injera (it can be a hit or miss sometimes for me). The restaurant is pretty small and service can be a little slow, but it's nice feeling the slow vibe. If you're looking for a good Ethiopian place, definitely come by sunset cafe! read more

Sunset Cafe - Sunset combo takeout - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Decent, nothing mind-blowing but satiating Ethiopian food Sambusas are dry but I think that is the style, I wonder if there is traditionally a sauce that goes with it. Veggie dishes could do better and meat dishes taste okay. I had it delivered and packaging was great. Overall 3.5/5 read more

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This restaurant is my friend's "go to" Ethiopian local spot. We shared a combo between the two of us, and still had leftovers! It could have fed 4 people. The decor is modest, but service is friendly. The joy of eating with your hands is truly something to experience if you have not tried it before. You rip a piece of the bread and then use it to scoop up the meat or veggies and then use your thumb to push it in your mouth. It's as simple as that. Have fun with it! I like the communal aspect of this type of eating and sharing a meal. We have something to learn from every culture and it's unique and delicious cuisine. Give it a try! read more

Sunset Cafe - Veggie combo platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We had the sunset combo with the tea and bread. As most people comment we were not disappointed. There is a lot of variety in the combo we liked everything with favorites the beef and lamb. It was sufficient for two, it's a good deal for 15$. The bread that came with the tea wasn't that great though. Also service felt mostly absent, but we had everything we needed. We were the only ones in the restaurant, not sure why, it felt a bit weird. read more

Sunset Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

You go in hungry, and you come out no less than two hours later stuffed to your gills and smelling like African herbs and spices. Five stars. read more

I'm not Ethiopian so I shouldn't be judging Ethiopian food; However, I have had a good amount of it across multiple cities. The beef tibs had too much gristle for my liking, and the green lentils and collards did not taste fresh. The injera was bland as well. I was looking forward to the meal based on the reviews. However, the ingredients did not seem fresh -- as if it had been sitting out for awhile. The red lentils, yellow lentils, and cabbage were all very good. read more

I have been dealing for a while about how to write a review about this place. It's not just a great meal, but an experience. It's something you remember the first time, and every time, the kind of intimate transmission of delicious that the owner shares with you. A destination, that is more than a the sum of its parts. You can scour the land, and you will find a few excellent places around Seattle, and serve Ethiopian food; but this one stands out. My group of 6 finished volunteering nearby, and we came looking for good food. What was delivered, was a testimony of good food. Combos were the way to go, and before we knew it, and after some wonderful help from the owner; we had a plate of food, the size of a large pizza. Let's explain, the owner comes out, with dishes of food, and individually places them on a platter of injera (the soft bread layer). Many different lentils, meats, and African curries that left us wanting more. Vegetarian options too, it was a march forward, systematically more delicious than the previous plate. It was a vast exploration of complex and delicious flavors. Get the Combo Plates, it's a good way to find a ways to try all the flavors from this culture. Highly Recommended. It's not the most amazing décor, but who cares, when the food is delicious and priced wonderfully. read more

Sunset Cafe - Something delicious. - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Best. Ethiopian. In. Seattle. Wow. Just wow. Found this place on Yelp (of course!) and decided to give it a go to get out of my usual dining area. Took my friend, who was a little worried about the area, but was willing to give it a go for good Ethiopian. We were blown away! What they lack in humble interior, they make up for with warm, inviting customer service and amazing food. We split the Sunset Combination (various meats and vegetables served atop injera). This was MORE than enough for two people; we had leftovers to take home. Presentation was fabulous - the owner came out and described what each and every dish was (beef, lamb, chicken, collared greens, homemade cheese, etc.) and gave us an additional basket of rolled up injera. When we asked for additional injera to take home, they didn't charge us. The prices are very economical for what you get. Plus, the patrons seem to be regulars, and they made the atmosphere very lively. I think that if you're new to Ethiopian, it's essential to try a place that is good and has a good reputation. My first (and subsequent) experiences (back in Little Ethiopia in Los Angeles) left me feeling very nauseous (the quality of the food wasn't the best), so I didn't eat it again for a very long time. But, I'm so glad I gave it another go. If you're okay with spices (not necessarily hot - just flavor), you will love this fare. read more

Sunset Cafe - Sunset Combo of meats and vegetables on injera. - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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As good as it gets when it comes to Ethiopian food. I probably should take a star off for the slow service but the lady was all by herself. I think she did a great job considering. Price point is unbelievable. We ordered the veggie combo to split ($12) and enough food for lunch and dinner. If we had been a little less greedy, it was enough to make another lunch. However, the food is so good we couldn't stop eating it. I was blown away by the number of dishes that comes with the veggie combo. There are also quite a few items on the menu that were new to me. Don't let the sketchy neighborhood and outside appearance of the place deter you. This is a gem. read more

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This place truly deserves every one of the outstanding reviews. Right off the bat, you are greeted by an extremely friendly lady who's the chef/owner who's as integral a part of the experience here as the food. My wife and I requested the veggie combo. Since I also love meat, she brought me a hearty portion of lamb tibs on the side and only charged me $1 extra which was amazing. Every single vegetable in the combo was absolutely perfect. Extremely flavorful, distinct and probably the best you can find in Seattle. The owner brings it all out in small bowls and serves it tableside on the injera explaining what each dish is. There's also a basket of injeras on the side which they very generously offer to refill if at all you manage to finish those. The portions are massive and 1 combo can easily feed 3 people with huge appetites and probably still have some to take home. Overall, Sunset Cafe has outstanding food, extremely friendly service that leave you feeling warm and at home, incredible affordable prices and is definitely well worth the drive. I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep going back here every time I crave Ethiopian food. p.s. The meal ends with the nice lady bringing you a plate full of assorted candies. read more

Sunset Cafe - Veggie Combo - Heavenly and can easily feed 3+ - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Excellent veggie combo. It included 2 salads, collard greens, 3 types of lentils and a ton of delicious injera! The ambience is simple and clean, not fine dining by any means but the food is delicious!! read more

Sunset Cafe - Veggie Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We called ahead and took take out from Sunset cafe. We ordered the Veggie and Sunset combos. The food was flavorful and very generous portions. The staff was all very welcoming and had masks on hand sanitizer available. There is parking available out front. read more

Sunset Cafe - Veggie Combo & Sunset Combo (Special) - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

HELLLLOOOOOO ! I'm back again with another quarantine East review ! I stumbled upon this initially because I wanted some green chicken after being in a drought for about 3 months due to Covid -19 . The food was good it didn't taste exactly what I expected but it was good . They gave me extra injera and it was super fresh aswell !! The parking is a little bit confusing but street parking should be just fine !! Overall 4/5 for me !!! Please support your local black owned businesses they really need our help ! Well you all know how this goes until the next review ciao ! read more

The blinds being closed and the strange interior did not bode well. Luckily, the "excellent" food safety rating reassured us and we stopped in. The Hallmark channel was on and we were the only ones in the restaurant aside from the nice and attentive waitress. Having never had Ethopian food before, I'm going say the number 26 was like a more delicious and vegetarian Sloppy Joe. It was perfect and that comparison doesn't do it justice. You also get a giant pancake like sourdough for dipping (don't expect silverware). I'll definitely be going back. read more

Saw all of these good reviews, and I really wanted to go here. However, they dissapointed me greatly. Before I even entered, the restaurant looked sketchy. It's located on a ghetto like street. When I entered the restaurant, it was very hot. They had two useless fans blowing away. However, the waitress was very helpful and friendly. She let us choose a table and explained the menu. Because of the recommendations, we ordered 2 veggie combos, beef tibbs, and hot wings. The waitress taught us how to eat, which was good. The beef tibbs were also good. The hot wings were mediocre. It was also labeled as an appetizer, despite coming after the main entrée. They have good service, but the food and location is not good. read more

Sunset Cafe - Banner on wall. - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I recently came for Ethiopian and found out that they switched new management. Overall, the food was pretty good (hence the 4 stars) but I still preferred it under the previous owner Sonny. Before, you would get more flavorful food and it was less expensive. However, I shouldn't compare since it's new management. We ordered the vegetarian sambusa ($1.99 each) and the vegetarian combo ($14/$15). Still tasty and would recommend but just know the experience is different. read more

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5 stars. Outside is kind of ghetto. Inside is clean. This was my second time having Ethiopian food. The first time was in San Jose. And it was very good Sunset cafe didn't disappoint me. I had sunset Combe. It came with lamb, beef, chicken, lentil and another vegeies. Everything was exception. I couldn't remember what was what. All meats were tender and flavorful. They had a lot of spices. And some were a bit spicy. You eat the meat with crepe U loved the crepe. It was pillow soft with a little tartness. The combo plate $12.99 was big. It could feed 2-3 people. It was inexpensive. I love to come back again if I am in this area. read more

Sunset Cafe - Sunset combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I will give them 5 stars for the overall experience. I've been to many ethiopean spots in the last few years and this one is a very close to being my favorite so far, if not my favorite. Let's start with the food. The one thing holding me back from saying this is my favorite is their veggies. But in the other hand, their beef tibs are lightyears ahead of every other place I've been too. Everything else is pretty much on par. I also noticed how not greasy the bread was underneath the food after we finished. This let me know they didnt use excessive or heavy oils. I felt amazing the next day. Now lets talk about the ambiance. The building is fairly small, but laid out well and well lit for dining experience. The inside was clean and the workers were very friendly. My usual experience with waitresses at ethiopean restaraunt is not this nice. I was sure to leave a good tip. Even the water was exceptional. read more

Unique food experience! The coffee smells so good and tasted strong with a kick to your senses!

The food was okay! The flavor is there. But the beef was not tender. I ordered a meat combo. Ambiance: has a bar style was pretty empty when I got there. Service was pretty good. read more

So sad that Sunny sold this place a while back because her food and coffee were wonderful. Cooked with love she did and was incredibly tolerant of my beastly-at-times kiddos. The special had a large number of dishes on it. The service was not perfect but always present. She often did coffee ceremony during service and gave us free coffee, which was like heaven in a tiny cup. But I digress... I wanted to give the new management a try, and despite the obvious emotional attachment to the old owner, I drove up to Rainier Beach with high hopes. It was the same place although they had moved the tables and put in booths. The waitress needed summoning, and when she came she asked if I wanted take out. No, eat in. Take out? No, eat in (bag on chair). And repeat. Then I finally got a menu (had to go look for her) and she said, vegetarian? No, special. And repeat, I wanted the special, please. And so on, you get it. The other table was also just sitting, empty water, waiting for check...looking forlorn. I had to go through the store to get her to take order and two other times when I needed things. Like water. And the check. The food was okay but had about 1/2 the number of dishes than before under Sunny. But still good food, hence 3 stars. Sunny got 5. I will go back to the store for injira (unless I can find closer) and will make Ethiopian in the future. read more

Sunset Cafe - Sunset Special. Pretty tasty food and a good sized portion. - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

My husband and I had Ethiopian food for the first time at this cafe! Can't really speak for authenticity for that reason, but there were a lot of nice things about the place. To start, the establishment was clean, and the service was very friendly. We went fairly early in the morning, so there weren't that many people there yet, but there seemed to be some customers that the staff knew and were engaged in conversation with, so perhaps this is a good place for regulars. Where food is concerned, the portions are very generous considering the price. My husband and I were able to split a Sunset combo for lunch and left feeling pretty full. All the meat dishes seemed like the standout - tender, well spiced, and each had its own unique taste. The veggie dishes were a little less interesting, but still tasty. The injera was provided in rolled pieces, which were super easy to use as we ate. Overall, it was a fun experience! It's a little out of the way, but worth a trip. read more

Sunset Cafe - Sunset combo. - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

If you've never had Ethiopian food, this place is a great introduction. The cafe itself is moderately small, and it certainly has a humble hole-in-wall charm to it. I like that the inside, from the tables to the walls, are colored after the Ethiopian flag. Also, the owner, a friendly and warm-welcoming lady, runs all phases of the restaurant. I ordered the Sunset Combo (#45 on the menu), which is this and that over an injera bread platter. To be a little more specific, it was some chicken, some beef, some lamb, an egg, some lentils, some cheese, and some salad. Each individual piece is flavorful and tasted really delicious; kind of like curry or stew. Also, when it arrived, I was given a briefing on what each individual piece is, which I appreciated. You are given a side of rolled injera, separate from your platter, to dip and scoop (think Indian naan bread). After a while the injera on your platter will have soaked up the juices from the meats, and you'll be able to enjoy that also. This injera has a spongey texture to it; it's a bit mushy too. The injera is basically your utensil, rather than using a fork. In other words, you'll be using your hands to eat. There's a tiny parking lot that fits three cars next door, and another tiny parking lot on the other side as well. If you can't park in the lot, you'll just have to turn into the neighborhood and find parking on the street. This is Rainier Beach though, as opposed to Ballard or Capitol Hill, so parking won't be that difficult to find. For about $13, the Sunset platter is a great value! It's pretty big, so you can share it. Or you can be a man and take it down solo. read more

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Good food, service is hit or miss. The restaurant is small but nice and pretty quiet, better to call ahead and Order to go( sometimes the food isn't always ready when I get there( even if I call 20-30 mins ahead). Overall a decent place to get some good authentic food From! read more

Wow- Everything here was delicious! And I really do mean everything! I came here with a friend last night for dinner and we were served by an extremely friendly and helpful woman who I assume does most of the food preparation/cooking (or at least created the recipes) and all of the service. She may be the friendliest, most prideful restaurant owner I have ever had the pleasure of being served by, she was that nice! Onto the food, we got the Sunset combo which came with several (I'm fairly certain 10!) different meat combinations that were all unique and tasty, with many flavors I had rarely ever tasted before. The meats included lamb, beef, chicken, pork, etc. all prepared in different styles. I have to admit that my experience with Ethiopian food is minimal, but I know I will be back here soon to eat again. Both for the food and to see the sweet lady who runs the restaurant! read more

Sunset Cafe - Sunset Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The food is good but the restaurant is very disorganized. Every time we ordered in advance, we had to wait at least 45 minutes at a table for the food to come. Since COVID, they are more interested in fulfilling Door Dash orders than in-person customers. Don't waste your time... go to Delish down the road instead. read more

Really delicious food ( with little oils) and very decent sitting ambiance. plus great service with big smile. I ordered veggie combo. Potions were not as big as other reviews here made me believe. But still decent in size. I found this restaurant somewhat pricier than other comparable restaurants in the city. read more