A true Gem in the city, hidden in plain sight. If you're looking for something new, and an actual dining experience, run don't walk to The Blue Nile. This family-owned and operated restaurant has been serving up Ethiopian delicacies for more than 40 years- ideal for vegans and meat lovers alike. The Blue Nile all you can eat platter is great for both groups and first dates, there's a coziness to this restaurant that is a rarity these days. Offering a full bar, the Ethiopian tea is a must, to try at least once, even if you're not a tea drinker. Open Wed-Sun. read more

Had never had Ethiopian food before I came here - so I can't necessarily speak to the authenticity of the food, but I CAN speak to the fact that it is delicious. Awesome for vegetarians, since the main platter of all-you-can-eat dishes is fully vegetarian. You can add meat dishes on an a la carte basis, but I have never felt the need. I always have to make sure not to eat any other bigger meals earlier in the day before coming here, because I want to be able to enjoy multiple rounds of food if possible! :) It's also so fun to step into the full experience of eating with your hands. Sometimes the service can be slow. But I have always found the staff to be very kind and courteous. So, if you're in the mindset of having a relaxed dinner experience, then you'll have a great time! The vibes are calm and there's usually relaxing music playing. Side note: they have gift certificates as well! read more

Wow what a fun and DELICIOUS experience! The food was amazing. We couldn't decide which dish was our favorite. We added the beef dish as well and it was perfect- the meat was tender with all the right spices to give it a little kick. You eat with your hands from a shared plate and it makes it such a fun intimated experience. The restaurant is decorated beautifully and the service was attentive. Don't be afraid to ask how it all works! read more

Amazing food and great experience. Eating here wasn't just amazing because of the wonderful varieties of food, it was a full experience for our family. read more

Try this place for the first time tonight very excited about trying a new food. I very much enjoyed the veggie platter but the service is extremely slow and prices are a little bit high it was $20 per person for just the vegetable platter a little pricey for lentils and vegetables read more

Have wanted to eat here since moving back to Michigan. In the past they never seem to update their hours on Yelp/Google/website. Thought I'd test the Sunday hours which are 3-9. Surprisingly, they were open! They have their own lot, but plenty of street parking around too. Sat at a traditional table for two. Lovely authentic setup, but very uncomfortable. Wouldn't sit at the low table and hard chairs again. The other option is a booth and the restaurant has about 25% of booths. Our server seemed fine. Tall young guy who came by twice. I love that you receive hot washcloths to clean your hands before and after dinner. This is the extent of what I loved. What I didn't love was the confusing menu. We eat Ethiopian a lot. Usually order a vegan or vegetarian platter. Whether they charge us for one or two people depends on the restaurant. This place charges per person which is fine. About $21 pp. Fine. We ordered vegan for two. When the platter came, it was super small portions. We thought maybe it was for one. However, halfway through we were full, tired of waiting for water, and asked for a box. The server says we cannot have a box for vegetables. Only meat. I've never heard of this in my life. Knowing our bill would be about $42 plus tax... but we couldn't get a leftover box. My mind was blown. He asked if I wanted to speak to a manager and I said yes. A young girl came over and said our meals were all you can eat. We never would have ordered all you can eat. The portion was barely big enough for one person at a $42 price tag. Anyway, in addition to the confusing menu, we had to beg for a water refill, the check, and a take out box. Not a great experience. The food was just okay. Didn't love anything. Temperatures were all over the place ranging from cold to mildly warm. We really wanted to love this restaurant, but didn't. read more

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Big, big fan! I always feel so nourished and in-tune after dining here. I'd recommend seating at a booth to start (there are various types of seating) . You're given warm towels (sometimes scented) at the beginning and end of your meal. I would recommend the spiced tea for the table and the Vegetarian feast, THEN add your choice of meat. The veggies are UNLIMITED, but I end up so full I don't even ask for seconds. Some of the veggies are hot, some come cold, some lukewarm. That is how it's meant to be. The key is to know what everything is and what it's for. Red lentil mash, cabbage, yellow peas, cold lentils, collard greens, potato+green bean. Then a light bread. My favorites are the red and yellow lentils. My recommendation for the meat would be the chicken and beef. If you're not paying attention this place could get costly. The key is to focus on the veggies, and select 2 meats. The meat costs for every portion so if you're with someone that only eats meat, it will be way more expensive. You also cannot take anything home. If you come here, have an open mind! They do not provide silverware and that's a part of the cultural charm. This is one of my FAVORITE spots. I truly wish there was one in Detroit. I think everyone should experience this place once. It forces you to explore. (: read more

I liked the vibe of TBN as it provides a more up scale dining experience for an Ethiopian restaurant in Michigan (compared to the restaurants i've been to on the West side). However, the food was unfortunately mid at best. I had heard a lot of raving reviews about it so we traveled two hours to try it out. As an Ethiopian, I felt that this restaurant lacked authenticity. The injera is not made out of 100% teff which is not typical for an authentic Ethiopian dish. The servers were all non Ethiopian when we went which is obviously not a problem at all on its own but they kept referring to the injera as bread and that was pretty disappointing. All things considered though i'd probably go back if they added more items to the menu as their current menu is very limited in nature. read more

The Blue Nile - Platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

We had not been here in awhile and wow! They still do it just great! The food was amazing and delicious. The service is top notch. The tea is also fantastic, a must have. Traditional table and atmosphere here. Love this place. A must go when I the area. We will return. read more

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The food (6) and the seasoning was not as intense as I desired or I had experienced while visiting California. The service left a lot to be desired for an empty restaurant with a small/scattered amount of customers (4) The ambiance (9) was serenely open and inviting. The numbers represent my rating. read more

Let's start with the good things: - the restaurant is beautiful, it really gives a calm vibe and takes you to a diffetent place - the staff was very friendly and despite being busy they all looked calm read more

Beautiful building. It is much larger than anticipated. The service is really good. We ordered the Ethiopian feast. It was very good. One side dish was a little cold and it seemed that it should have been served warm. But, other than that it was great. It is a wonderful experience in culture if you are not familiar with Ethiopian cuisine. If you are familiar with it, to me it is one of the better places to dine locally. read more

The Blue Nile - Ethiopian Feast - Ethiopian Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

I had heard about Blue Nile for decades but had never tried it until now. It is definitely a one of a kind experience. You don't get silverware - everything is eaten with your hands. You also don't get much of a choice on the menu, which forces you to try things you may not be familiar or comfortable with. Additionally, because the menu is so limited, the food comes out lightning quick. You may also look at the platter of food in my photo and think, "that's not going to be enough for the three of us"...and you will be wrong...very wrong. We couldn't even finish it! All of this may sound like I didn't enjoy my experience here, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The environment is lovely, the staff is extremely friendly and the warm cloths you receive to wash your hands before and after you eat are a wonderful luxury...and a necessity, given the hands on approach to eating! If you are looking for a unique dining experience, you should definitely give it a shot! read more

The Blue Nile - Ethiopian Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

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We thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience at Blue Nile. For vegetarians and vegans, this is the place to come. With a unique menu, the base is unlimited vegan sides for $18.90. They are served up on a tray lined with traditional teff pancakes. You can then add sides of meat dishes: chicken, lamb and beef, at an additional cost of about $10 each. The servings are on the smaller side, yet are enough to share and get a varied and delicious sampling of Ethiopian cuisine. Each side has unique flavors and included cabbage, spinach, potato-carrot-celery, and several different bean and lentil dishes. Some are cold and most are hot. Even if you are not vegetarian, sampling these sides alone, with the traditional "eat with your hands" Ethiopian style, is a treat and a delight. The teff pancakes are cold and filling. They are also gluten free and filled with protein. The meat dishes were yummy and tender. They pour the meats felt the bowls to the center of the serving dish. Everything runs together. I love it, all the mixing and matching, yet for one of our guests, the experience was too "messy" and uncomfortable for them. Our party of four enjoyed the red sauces on the meats more than the yellow sauces . The difference was the degree of flavorful spices. The yellow sauces were on the bland side though the meat was quite tender. We are at a traditional table with smaller seats and a serving platter between guests. There are booths, tables and individual serving bowls you can request if you prefer a more American eating experience. The ambience is perfect, colorful and traditional. The dining room and bathrooms are clean. The servers are very gracious and helpful. Perhaps the best part is the sensory experience of the warm towels to clean your hands before and after the meal. Divine. With tip, my husband and I arrived at a total of $81, half of the table for our part of four. Compared to other African food we have tried recently, Blue Nile is much higher in price. Not sure the price tag is necessary, reducing my rating by one star. Definitely worth the experience. read more

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I didn't know what to expect, but wanted to try something new. We were seated quickly and had good service. We ordered this platter with chicken and honey wine. It was a great experience. I'm glad I tried it. There are more items I'd like to try here and will return. This location has a great atmosphere and decor. I've been returning to purchase the honey wine. They sell the bottles & it makes a great gift. read more

The Blue Nile - Ethiopian Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

I have been coming to Blue Nile since when it was in Detroit and before it was forced to move to its current location in Ferndale. Back then I didn't know too many places to get African fare, well at least in a formal place. I was very happy today I got to share this OG spot (once moved) with my son. While he looks like his mom (thank goodness) and thinks like his mom (mehhhh) and is built like her side (back to thank goodness) the three things he got from me was: 1) a cranium in the 99th percentile for size 2) a great love of sports 3) an adventurous palate and love for delicious food It is #3 that made me excited to bring him here. Walking in, you can't help notice the bright colors that imbue the ceiling designs and table decorations. I have no knowledge of Ethiopian traditions so I can only assume that these are culturally mirrored and significant to home. But let's talk about why we are here. The food. I'll be honest, all this has a very similar feel to Indian food so it was very familiar curry flavors. The "bread" they bring to the table is very similar to Uppam. The main difference is that this is served family style. A giant serving tray is placed at the center of your table with all the curried toping more Uppams that layer the bottom of the tray. And then basically everyone digs in. I highly recommend the Ethiopian feast plate with the chicken wat and lamb curry. It gives a great sampling of the foods and flavors. The service is impeccable and they do a great job explaining the different dishes. It appears there is a full bar for those that want to join in. For an even more authentic experience take a seat on the pillows as opposed to the chairs. I'm old and chunky and my knees don't like to stay criss cross apple sauce anymore. I can't recommend it enough and can't wait to come back. read more

Bring your passport! JK, but you will be transported to Ethiopia the second you step through the threshold, from the scenery, music, servers' dress code, and, of course, the food. i sadly, do not have any photos of the Blue Nile, or what i experienced, but let me try to convey with words as best i can the wonderous affair that greeted me. i used to live in Washington, DC, so frequented Ethiopian spots, since there was a plethora and since moving to Detroit have been craving some injera!! So when i drove passed Blue Nile i knew where i was talking my partner for date night. We were not disappointed, but on the contrary, astonished not only to walk inside and feel like we had just stepped into North East Alkebu-Lan (Africa) but then to see that they had an all-you-can-eat option. AYCE was $18 a person, which is extremely fair considering the portions! We (or i mostly), enjoyed three plates of all their scrumptious, savory, delectable, warm, flavorful, vibrant, and amazing dishes. Next time i have a hankering for habesha, i know where i'm going! Oh, and they have a delicious cinnamon tea! Service was polite and prompt. Classy additives like a warm towel pre and post-dinner make your whole time at Blue Nile an experience. So turn off your phone and tune into the lovely vibes, soothing tunes, and delicious food, and bring some company to have a brilliant conversation. read more

Blue Nile is truly an establishment and they've been around for over 30 years and I can definitely see why. The staff is so welcoming, and they always have a smile on their face. The greatest thing is the Ethiopian dinner, where you get all their vegan dishes as an all you can eat, so you can repeat your favorites. If you're a meat eater, would highly recommend the Zizil Wat - the Wat sauce and seasoning is divine and the beef is so tender. I adored the Yemisir Kik Wat and the gomen. Each dish is truly flavorful on its own, and the injera does not interfere with that. I would have loved a more flavorful injera. All in all a wonderful cozy meal that is shared is all the best. A must in Ferndale! read more

The Blue Nile - Ethiopian Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

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I fell in love with Blue Nile and my boyfriend on the same evening in 1993. Back then when our knees allowed us, we sat at the traditional table and small chairs in an ornately decorated second floor dining room overlooking Monroe Street in Greektown (their original location). This 1st trip exposed me for the 1st time to the bold and elegant flavors, whilst humbling me with the challenge to scoop the delicious vegetables in sauces with the spongy utensil of the injera bread. While we miss the mystical ambience of the old dining room. The familial service is still the same and they're always training new staff, many of whom are eagerly learning English. This visit, we decided to retire to the bar area after dinner for Ethiopian coffee. A great idea, we then decided to purchased 2 large bottles ($11 each) of the ultra refreshing herbal tea elixir to take home. This "elixir" is so uplifting, clean tasting and caffeine free. I poured mine over ice on this 100 degree day. My friend warmed it slow in a tea kettle at bedtime. It contains chamomile and we were randomly surprised at how calming it was! read more

The Blue Nile - 64 oz for $11 - Ethiopian Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

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Absolutely love this place. Went to the other location first but this was my go to when I lived in royal oak. The tea is the best and this is so much fun for people out of town. The combos are the best and I love the bread. read more

Holy crow our dinner was amazing. The people are kind and pleasant, I have not been to this place in years. But I will be back soon. Gotta take the boys. They even have mead. Thankyou friend Beth for the dinner and choosing it. read more

Blue Nile is a consensus 'family favorite' for the last 20+ years. The food is delicious and the staff are ridiculously nice. The pace is 'laid back' and we have come to love it. The setting is different than almost any other restaurant we frequent and we really appreciate the uniqueness. The style of eating may not be for everyone, but is #1 in our family's books! read more

oh how it breaks my heart to give a less star but it has gone downhill. They used to have a ultimate feast with the meat included. NOW its take all your money. They charge for every single dish and DO NOT have the meat option anymore. You gotta buy every meat plate separate. Food is consistent. But there is plenty of better options out there now. read more

My wife and I came here for our anniversary. It was just as magical as when we first came and this was almost 7 years later. Deena was our server and she was wonderful. The food was just as good as the last time. We'll be back. read more

If you don't experience unusual foods, check out this place! Very unique. We all really enjoyed trying this Ethiopian restaurant and the food they had to offer. The decor' and ambiance is very cool and the service was great! Great options for those who are vegetarian! read more

Rating this was hard. The food gets five stars, heck, I'd give them 10 stars! Our server, however, kept vanishing. We waited for well over 25 minutes to flag her down for the bill and we were the only people on restaurant! It was 9:50 on a Friday night and we all wanted to get home. She was very sweet and friendly, but forgot to bring refills and works so a heat vanishing at. One dinner took almost 2 hours. read more

they advertise false job applications on indeed stating that they are a Warehouse and that they are hiring for order selecting, when in fact they are a poorly run restaurant with rude staff and assume management. The Management called me for and interview and let me know the position time and date and i let him know that I didn't apply for a restaurant position and that the job was falsely advertising the wrong job description he rudely told me he doesn't give a f**k and hung up in my face. read more

The Blue Nile makes delicious Ethiopian food. What really stands out above others is that the meat quality is very high. This brings us back. Very nice atmosphere, traditional and western seating arrangements. read more

I've been coming to The Blue Nile (TBN) for many years, although last Saturday was my first in at least 6 or more. The pricing may have increased, but beyond that everything that I've grown to love over the years hasn't changed one bit. While I do not enjoy eating with my hands very often (I suffer from sometimes severe contamination OCD) when I'm comfortable with someone I can sometimes get past it. Such was the case when my date and I went to TBN. I ordered for the two of us opting for the Ethiopian Feast, adding all of the meats. The upgraded Ethiopian Feast came with two types of chicken, beef, and lamb, as well as a variety of vegetarian dishes (see my photos). We sat at one of the mid-level "authentic tables," which sits a bit lower to the floor, and was served Injera (Ethiopian flatbread), which can be somewhat bland to most people, but I enjoy it on it's own. That being said, the point of the bread is to absorb the sauce(s), and to tear it when eating the meats & veggies, so that you are using the bread to pick up the food (if you go without sans utensils) and not literally using your fingers (although I'm sure some gross MFs do). Both of the chicken dishes were tasty and were served on the bone. The spicier chicken, Doro Wat, wasn't too spicy, but if you're sensitive to peppers you may think so. The other chicken, Doro Alecha, has a more buttery herb taste to it. The lamb, Yebeg Alecha, also has a somewhat buttery taste to it, and is served with onions. Tasty AF. The beef, Zilzil Wat, which is typically outstanding, seemed a bit dry on this last visit, but that has never happened before, so I wouldn't hold it against the place. The veggie dishes are Mixed Vegetables (potatoes, carrots & green beans with onion), Metin Shiro Wat (yellow split peas), Gomen (collard greens), Tekil Gomen (sauteed cabbage) was the favorite dish for my date and I. There were also other lentil/split pea dishes, Kik Alecha, Yesmir Kik Wat, and Defen Yesmir Alecha. Over all this place has stellar service, great tasting food, and it's a unique date restaurant, with tons of ambiance. Go to TBN and try something outside of the norm. You'll love it! read more

The Blue Nile - Ethiopian Near Me - Ferndale, Michigan

Great food, excellent services. Very friendly atmosphere. Menu had a varied selection of items Mr s. Facility was very clean. We will definitely return again soon. read more

The food, service and ambience were excellent! If you want more authentic tasting Ethiopian food, this restaurant is a better choice than Taste of Ethiopia. However, I was disappointed about their ordering rules and two day closure. The day I went, I really only wanted a full order of the Shiro Wot but the menu is all you can eat with the option to order 7 different items. They were flexible enough that I didn't have to choose all 7 items. So, I think I chose 4 options. I tasted all four options and they were good. However, the Shiro was so good that I kept asking for more. I wasn't super hungry to begin with, so I felt like I was wasting the other menu items that I never would have ordered. Next time, I know to just order the items that I really want. read more

Some friends and I recently started an international dinner club, and this was our first night out for it today. I had been to Blue Nile a while back in Ann Arbor so I was curious to try out the Ferndale location, too. First off: free parking! They have their own little lot right next to the building, which was convenient. Dinner is all you can eat, but is a little misleading, IMO. You can choose either the vegetarian plate, or the "Ethiopian feast" with a meat add-on, which is what I did - chicken is $6 and beef is $7. I believe they also have a lamb option. All of the food was very good - I'd give it 4/5 stars. My chicken was a little spicy but delicious, although it comes on the bone so the beef, which another friend ordered, was easier to eat. Of the veggies, I enjoyed the potatoes, spicy lentils, and (garlic spinach? something green) the best. You use injera bread (a very spongy, light bread) to scoop up all of the veggies, and meat too, if you like. When our waitress asked if we wanted refills, it turns out that meat is an upcharge if you want more ... I feel like that should be said somewhere on the menu. Veggies, however, are unlimited. I do regret not ordering the cinnamon tea, two friends did and I tried a sip and it was very good. Waitservice here was kind of meh - we had to wait a while for water refills and also more food. The bathroom was clean but at one point I noticed most of the toilets had a lot of paper in it (they looked clogged, but were not). Definitely an interesting place, with good food, but I probably won't be rushing back anytime soon. read more

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Ambiance was so peaceful. Service was just as peaceful and professional! Food was delish! As a person in the service industry the experience is highly recommended! read more

I've been dining at The Blue Nile for many years. Visited again just last night and had the most delightful experience. The moment I walked into the restaurant I felt so happy to be there. The space is beautifully decorated, warm and inviting. The service was top notch and the food is so consistently fabulous. I told my friend if I had to pick a last meal it would be the vegetarian feast at Blue Nile. This place is a special and unique gem. It's wonderful for out of town visitors, cozy date nights, intimate catch-up sessions with good friends and even for meetings with new acquaintances. The service last night was so particularly lovely too. Everyone was kind, attentive and just had the most beautiful smiles. It seemed the staff felt proud to be there and the diners, myself included, were happy to be there too. Looking around the place it just seemed all of the people there were enjoying the intimate setting, food and drinks. So grateful to live close to this special place. Should also mention ordered carryout delivery about two weeks ago and I was blown away by that too. Even out of cardboard containers, the dishes were so tasty. The containers look small but there is a deceptively generous amount of food packed into those little containers. They gave us so much injera with the carryout order I had to look up how to make baked chips with the leftover. Love this place! It's enchanting! read more

Great food, definitely a place where you can go with a lot of family or friends!! They have an interesting and fun drink list! The scenery is great as well and if you're lucky enough, the owner will come out and say hi to you!! read more

This is one of my favorite places to take my time and eat. I savor the food. So many spices and delectable herbs. Everything is always simply perfect. Gomem is my absolute favorite. The Ethiopian tea, decorated with cinnamon stays on my mind. I could eat here almost daily. I highly recommend coming here. Eating with your hands adds to the flavor, I promise. read more

Excellent food, service and ambience!! I enjoy the spices and flavors of each of the dishes.

My first time ever eating Ethiopian food. We came here for my sister's birthday and she really wanted to try Ethiopian food. Once we walk in, you notice how beautifully decorated this place and the staff for the most part, wearing "traditional" outfits. The waitress we had was very helpful with how their system works. She had to make herself clear a few times just in case some may not understand. So they have a price per person and you get all but one vegetarian dish that's included for all you can eat. Everything else is by order (meats and the excluded veggie dish). Great for vegetarian people! You do get full really quickly because of the bread though. Super hard not to eat with the bread since you can only eat with your hands. Maybe not really baby friendly?? We managed. Since we had a bigger group (7 and a baby) we sat at a table in the middle of the room. We were surrounded by booths so we were squished in a way. They do have their own parking lot and of course there is a bunch of street parking as well. I wish there was lamb when we went. They unfortunately ran out. I really liked the chicken! The spicy chicken isn't that spicy but we ate it with the spicy peas to give it more spice. The beef was okay. Chicken had bones. Beef did not. I would like to try other place. This place was probably pricer compared to others. Great experience but wouldn't come here as often. read more

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First time having Ethiopian food. The staff was wonderful. Amazing service. They gave us warm towels before we ate and once we finished eating. The food was really good. It wasn't spicy. The inside was a really cool vibe. The staff is extremely attentive. Great experience. Will be back! read more

best restaurant on 9 mile. i have only great things to say about it. i love bringing people who have not tried it here. thanks, love you! read more