I've been to Zeni a few times now, and it's definitely one of my favorite places for Ethiopian food. The food is delicious, with really good quality and flavor, and eating Ethiopian food is such a fun experience--especially sharing the dishes and eating together with your hands. The restaurant is also nicely decorated and has a warm, inviting atmosphere. I've tried Ethiopian restaurants in different parts of the Bay Area as well as in other parts of the country, and Zeni really stands out. The quality here is consistently excellent. I always look forward to coming back for Ethiopian food. Highly recommended! read more

The food and injera at Zeni Ethiopian are absolutely DELICIOUS! Highly recommend this place, the food is so tasty, the atmosphere is cute and cozy and the staff are some of the nicest people. I especially loved the ground beef and the lentils from our veggie and meat order. Everything was flavorful and the injera was heavenly. My friend and I were so caught up eating and chatting that we didn't realize they had actually been closed for almost half an hour! The staff were incredibly kind and courteous, they just continued cleaning around us without making us feel rushed or asking us to leave. That level of hospitality really stood out to me. I'll definitely be coming back. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

First time trying Ethiopian food and everything was packed with flavor, and I loved eating with injera, it made the whole experience feel so authentic. Every bite was delicious, and the portions were great for sharing. I also tried Ethiopian coffee for the first time, and wow... it was so good! Rich, smooth, and definitely worth ordering if you've never had it before, ended it with their delicious pastry. Great food, friendly service, and such a unique dining experience. I'll definitely be back! read more

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The restaurant is so beautiful! Service was wonderful and quick too. For lunch, we had the meat and vegetable combo, perfect for three people. Everything was so tasty! We are definitely returning to try other items on their menu. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Meat Combination Vegeterian Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

Zenis was a nice place to get Ethiopian food in Bay Area. We got the injeera with shiro and wat and another vegetable. Nice and filling dinner. Nice service and place was packed on the weekend evening read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegeterian Combo Ye Misir Wot - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

A bit of a let down. So many rave reviews but sadly had a mediocre experience. Service felt weirdly hostile. I asked a pretty simple question if they had an item but couldn't remember the name. When I tried to describe it, the waitress gave me a nasty attitude and said "we don't have that". I'll maybe chalk it up to an off day but that kind of set the tone for our meal. Food itself was just okay. Gomen and shiro were good flavor wise but the ye doro tibs juicy I would skip. Chicken was really dry and tough. Everything also came out lukewarm which was a little weird because the restaurant wasn't busy. read more

This was my first time trying Ethiopian and I would have to say Im a huge fan. For those new to this cuisine you eat with your hands, and food comes out on a giant platter with a piece of bread called injera. Your main course go on top of the injera and you break pieces apart to scoop and eat your meal. We ordered the collared greens, chickpeas, and chicken. My only minor complaint was the food came out lukewarm instead of piping hot, so by the time we dug in and finished it was already cold. As for the space it's a bit underwhelming, don't come here if you are looking for ambiance. Service was also interesting as well. It might've been an off day but our waitress was a bit short with our questions. Overall still recommend for the cuisine but everything else could use some work. read more

Lamb seems like a popular option among the reviews here. However, my friend and I don't eat lamb so we skipped it. It was a bit hard for us to choose what to order despite there being descriptions in the menu. It'd be great if they add a star or something for the most recommended orders. We ended up choosing sambussa, qeiy wat, and kikil kitfo. The sauce that came with the sambussa was slightly spicy but very salty. It wasn't bad, I just wish it was less salty. I wouldn't highlight it as a must get though. We were surprised by the amount of injera that came with our order. It's pretty cool they split the orders into two portion. My friend and I were bloated and yet we still have half to save as leftover. The injera was good- as expected. The two beef items we ordered was supposed to be spicy but I didn't taste any spice at all. I liked the kikil kitfo (finely chopped beef) more than the qeiy wat (stewed beef cube) when we were at the restaurant. However, when I reheated the leftovers and mixed the proteins w ayib (cottage cheese), I actually preferred the qeiy wat more. read more

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best Ethiopian food in San Jose! the staff is always so kind, and my family and I have been going for years now :) the food is always consistent and it's a great place for dinner or a celebration. Highly recommend the yellow lentils, spicy cheese, the greens, lamb and so much More pictured :) read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - go to order - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

This is our 'go to' Ethiopian restaurant. We have been coming here for many years and the food is authentic and the quality has been stable, we are never disappointed. We usually order a vegetarian combo, then Ye Doro Wot (chicken drumstick stew dish), a Qeiy Wot (beef stew), honey wine and some baklavas for dessert. Food is served over a big piece of injera (Ethiopian bread), you tear off a piece of injera, grab some food with it and put them into your mouth, and enjoy. The honey wine tastes like honey but is an alcoholic drink. They warm up the baklava instead of serving it cold. It is recommended to make reservations before you go since this place is often packed with people. Not sure if they still serve Ethiopian coffee, but coffee is usually served with really cute coffee pot and cups. Services is good. read more

We were looking for an Ethiopian restaurant and came across Zeni's. We came in on on Saturday and got seated right away. There were limited waiters around 2 people serving so it took a while for them to come around with ordering. We got the Meat combo and goden tibs. The meat combo consists of doro tibs(chicken), kitfo(beef), and alitcha wot(lamb). The goden tibs was really tasty and since it was charred it made it our favorite dish that meal. The combo had a good variety and one combo is good to share amongst two people as we didn't finish some of the kitfo. If you're looking to try Ethiopian I would recommending coming here. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

Went for dinner as a party of 3 and from the outside, it didn't seem very busy but it was quite packed inside for a weekday evening. The wait wasn't too bad though and we were soon seated. There is a good variety of menu items but my party got the vegetarian combo along with an order of Alicha Wat (mild beef stew). The meal was great and super filling. Everything was served on a platter on top of the Injera, the warm, tangy, soft Ethiopian bread. You eat with your hands and there is conveniently a sink located towards the back of the shop for easy access without having to go into the bathroom. The serving was very generous and eaten with the bread, you get full pretty quick! Everything was flavorful and I would definitely come back. The service was a bit more slow paced but understandably so because it was quite busy and there were only 2 waitresses. Nonetheless, the food was delicious and the service was nice so I'd recommend. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

One of my all-time favorite spots in the Bay! I've been coming to Zeni for years and it never disappoints. This time I got lucky--they actually had sambussas in stock (they're usually gone by the time I get there). Crispy outside, flavorful inside--totally worth the hype. The Ethiopian spice tea was warm and delicious. I wish they'd use loose leaf tea. I went with the vegetarian combo and ye doro tibs juicy--perfect balance of hearty, spicy, and comforting. Always love eating with injera--no utensils, no problem. Only thing I wish they'd fix? The noise. It gets a bit intense, like everyone's voice is bouncing off every surface. Something about the acoustics makes it louder than it needs to be, even when it's not packed. A little soundproofing would go a long way. But food? Vibe? Worth it. Just maybe bring a friend who talks at your decibel level. read more

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The ambiance was nice, the staff was excellent, and the food was tasty, but the beef was not tender. I got the Fir Fir, and although it tasted good, the beef could've been more tender. I totally forgot to take a photo. read more

My first time trying Ethiopian food! Hard to critic since it was all new flavors but wow, so delicious. The injera perfectly soaked up all the dishes. My favorites were all the vegetarian dishes and the tibs. Would recommend coming in a group and eating family style so you can have a variety. Visited on Juneteenth for dinner. Got seated within 15 minutes but the food took about 1 hr to come... We weren't served until past 830pm which is when they close, but they didn't rush our meal at least. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Omg absolutely loved the food! I couldn't stop licking my fingers. So flavourful and healthy and crazy variety of dips. The service was very good but I wish the area outside was a bit cleaner. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegeterian Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

4.5 stars. My first time ever trying Ethiopian food and I was pleasantly surprised. Everything was well seasoned and full of flavors ive never had before. Went there for a team lunch and we couldn't finish two of these massive platters. My favorite thing was some kind of sizzling lamb (not sure what it's called). The carb is a kind of fermented bready roll that you would peel off pieces and use it to grab the food. Personally I wasn't too used to the flavor of it so I wasnt too fond of it. But overall, it was a very tasty meal. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Randomly decided on getting Ethiopian one night and landed on Zeni! From the pictures, I was excited to experience dining in the more decorated section of the restaurant but that section was unfortunately closed off that evening. We ordered the vegetarian as well as the meat combos and they came out on a big platter. I think some of the dishes (like the beef one and the lentil one were pretty tasty) were tastier than others but if you wanted some variety, then this would've been perfect. We also got a spiced tea and my bf thought it was pretty good (though I was it was a bit sweet!). Service was alright and nothing too extraordinary. We will come back if we are ever in the area and craving some Ethiopian food! read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Cute spot; I love getting their veggie combo; it's my to go to place for their veggie combos. The food tastes delicious, and they are usually on time. I have only eaten here once at the Resturant but have gotten the food to go typically once a month; as I love Ethiopian food. There is parking up front, sometime the lot is pretty busy, but plenty of parking. Interior is cute, decorative; and the food is delicious. Overall, I recommend this spot Customer service is pretty decent as well. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Inside - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

We have been going to Zeni for years. I love that they have both traditional and non-traditional seating options. They sometimes have live music as well. This time we had their veg combo platter served in a traditional plate that is shareable. Admittedly I have no reference of real Ethiopian food but I love their food. I've been to several Ethiopian places in and around the Bay Area and this one is the one we go to again and again. The plate had steamed collard greens 3 types of lentil curries, beets salad and a cabbage dish. We also ordered their Ye doro tibs which is juicy chicken curry they served it in the middle of the plate( no picture sorry). Every single dish was flavorful and had a delicious blend of spices( not hot). The authentic Ethiopian spices are great and I love the soft and fluffy injera bread. Especially the bottom bread that soaks up all flavors. They have a decent service. There's almost always a wait unless you go during non-peak times. They don't take reservations and also don't have a waitlist system, basically you line up outside of the restaurant and tell the server how many people and they seat you according to availability. People are nice. read more

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Came back to Zeni for my birthday dinner. It was less difficult to get a seat on a Friday night, which is great for us but makes me sad for the business. Had a wonderful meal again. The Ye Doro Kifto (ground chicken with butter and spices) was too spicy for me, my all the other items were soooo good. Ye-Bere Tibs beef cubes sauted with onion and peppers, had a delicious fajita vibe. We always love the collard greens and red lentils. Our server was very nice. read more

Came for dinner on a Saturday. This place was bustling at 5:30 PM. We were sat at the traditional style tables with stools and a basket type table. All the food is served in piles on top of injera. I think the food here is certainly unique! I wouldn't say I'm the biggest fan but there were some standouts. Good: Vegetarian Combination - A hearty mix of different braised vegetables. Really tender and cooked for a long time, which I thought was pleasant. I would recommend getting this one. Sambusa - like a puff pastry filled with a vegetable mash. Super delicate and flaky. Paired with a smoky hot sauce which I thought was delicious. Ok: Goden tibs - this tasted like a simple stir fry of beef, bell peppers, and onions. It was nothing special in my opinion and had actually a pretty light, mild flavor. Also I'm not sure if they just didn't have short ribs because these tasted like a leaner cut of meat for sure. Not my favorite: Meat Combination - The chicken and the lamb were ok. The raw ground beef was not for me. It was super mild in flavor, almost unseasoned in my opinion. Perhaps it's more of an acquired taste. While it was cool to eat in a more culturally immersed environment, sitting so long in the short stools was a little uncomfortable for me. I'd definitely recommend sitting in the main dining room which has western style tables, but naturally these fill up first! Not to mention there are no reservations here. Service was polite, but they seemed understaffed for with only 2 waitstaff for the whole packed restaurant during peak dinner hours. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Sambussa - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Can't believe I waited this long to try this place! Absolutely divine food. We got the Veggie combo Meat combo Which was plenty to share for party of 4. The service was super friendly. The food was hot, fresh, super flavorful and simply outstanding. Ambiance was very cute with interesting chairs, seating, art and decor from Ethiopia. The pricing was also excellent considering the quantity. Loved it so much that took some misir wot to go (from the veg combo). Please try this place asap! You don't know what you're missing. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Veggie and meat combo Which - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

A ton of tasty food Shared the meat combo as well as a veggie combo with my wife. Came out on a giant injera and was a sight to behold. I loved the variety and devoured as much as I could. Everything was fresh and added unique flavor. My fav veggie dish was probably tmatim fitfit which had quite a kick. As for the meat dishes, the chicken and the minced beef were probs my fav. Both were tender with a kick. Ended up being way too much food (probably perfect for 3 people), so we took the rest to go Qualms: 1) The injera came out cold which dampened my appetite a bit - wish it was hot 2) Sadly they were out of sambussas...hopefully I will get to try them next time read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegeterian Combo, Meat Combination - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

Pretty busy on a Friday night but luckily did not have to wait. We wanted to try the sambussas, but unfortunately they were all sold out. We shared the stuffed jalapeños and the meat combination (lamb, beef, chicken). They described the combinations as sampler platters. The meat combination came with a basket of injera (about 7 rolls). My favorite meats ranked from most to least liked were: lamb, chicken, beef. I'm usually not a huge fan of lamb but it was cooked really well with lots of flavor. Chicken was great too. The ground beef was just ok. Stuffed jalapeños were alright to us, nothing special. Overall, food was hearty and meats were delicious but we wished that the meat portions were bigger (felt like a lot of empty space for the combination platter), so next time we'll probably go with one of Zeni's Specialties / the ones focused on just 1 type of meat for bigger meat portions. The ratio felt like a lot of injera with not enough meat to pair. read more

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The vegetarian options are good as is the ambience. We were a group of 10 and everybody enjoyed their meal. The one comment I will add is that they are short staffed and do not provide a good explanation of the menu and options. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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my ethiopian friend whose visited + eaten MULTIPLE dishes and injera bread highly praised this spot. my girls' sports team has gone here 3 teams for team bonding bc we LOVE the Beyaynetu plate! such an underrated cuisine anyone should try in the san jose, cupertino, bay area. big portions, we had leftovers, filling whole ingredients: u got the veggies, meat seasoned incredibly, and a sourdough like tortilla/bread. ORDERED MEATS: Doro Wat, Siga Wat, Tibs, Kitfo, Gored Gored, Key Wat. BEANS: Misir Wot (red lentils), Kik Alicha (yellow split peas) fair service, accept cash or card. abt 15min wait for plates to comes, steaming hot, fresh, warm, and unlimited injera i believe?? read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

I really liked this place for Ethiopian food. Came in on a Sunday afternoon and place was moderately busy. Service was quick, we were seated immediately, and staff was friendly. I loved almost every option on the veggie platter, but the real star was the sautéed mushrooms which we ordered in addition to the veggie platter. I wasn't a huge fan of the collard greens and yellow split peas, but they weren't bad. The folks I came with ordered the meat combo with lamb and they enjoyed ever option. read more

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We were a party of 7 (3 of them young kids). We were seated promptly on a Sunday evening at approximately 7pm. Within minutes, people were arriving and they had to wait. This restaurant got busy fast! I wish I took note of the ordering, but I kinda just went with a more seasoned vet. My friend Owen has been here a couple times before. The presentation of the food reminds me of a painter's pallet. Ethiopian food is fairly colorful. The food is spread out on an Ethiopian bread called injera. It has a sourish taste. It takes some getting used to. They also give you extra rolls of injera. Although you can request spoons, you eat mainly with your hands. How's the food? It was my first time so please take this review with a newbie perspective. For my Asian taste buds, I am OK with it. There are familiar flavors such as their chicken dish (forgot the name) as what we have in Indonesia called Rendang. I was just OK with the beef (Goden tibs) as I don't taste any ethnic spices in them. The beef Kitfo is nice and that was cooked medium. It taste a lot like Italian sausage to me. We also got the vegetarian option where there are 4 mashed up goodies. They remind me of Indian Thali in mashed potato form. I enjoyed the meal but I may only come once in a blue moon. It wouldn't be fair to knock a place down just because I'm learning the cuisine. For food taste, it's 3 stars. For experience/uniqueness it's a 5! read more

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I was so excited to come try this place. It's been on my list for a really long time. This food is definitely new territory, so we tried to ask the server what she recommends and she was very indifferent and didn't smile and seemed almost annoyed that we were asking for some advice . In the end, we decided to share one of those platters that you can sample multiple things. Unfortunately, it didn't hit maybe because I had very high expectations on the quality and flavor. They did have a really cool area that seemed very culturally designed which was really cool but for some reason, they didn't see anybody there. I'm not sure if it was maybe for special events only. I really wanted to enjoy it like this spot but unfortunately, it's a mess for miss for me. read more

Second times to this place was hoping service would got better but not the case. We came at noon and didn't see our food until at least 30min later. There were 3 servers but mostly stands around. The food we ordered should already been premade as they are not the dishes that need to be made when ordered so 30min waiting shouldn't happen. Sambosa is also preheat and overpriced as you get one with minimal filling. Not much taste. We had to ask for some dipping sauce. Combo veggies dish was Ok with the dipping sauce otherwise not much flavor. We were hoping for a better customer experience the second time but not the case. Most likely will not come back. read more

This place is like home to me, I love all the photos and seating , the food is amazing , Also everyone who works there make you feel so welcome , I love it , I've gone here since I was a child .. Best Place in San Jose for me .. Also very family orientated bring everyone read more

Got my sister here who was visiting and had never been to Ethiopian restaurant. We have been here multiple times here and like the vegetarian combo and shiro wot. Ordered the same this time as we didn't want to take chances when we had my sister trying it for first time and she liked the cuisine. read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegetarian combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

Zeni will always be one of my favorite restaurants of all time. The food is simply unmatched! I have eaten here several times, and I look forward to continuing to visit. The store itself has plenty of seating, but it is often busy during dinner time. There can sometimes be a long wait time, but the food is worth it. I usually come with a big group and get the vegetarian combo and meat combo. The combos come with piping hot injera. Every single dish is phenomenal. My personal favorites are Gomen Wot (collard greens in the vegetarian combo) and Kitfo (beef in the meat combo). I always get the spiced Ethiopian tea as well, which pairs really well with the food. The interior is warm and always buzzing with customers. I absolutely love this restaurant, and I can't wait to visit again! read more

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I came to meet an old colleague of mine at this restaurant & I was extremely happy to try Ethiopian food for the first time. The restaurant is very cute with many wall hangings and and extended lower level. It took a while for the servers to take our order, also took a while for the food to come out. I guess we came during the peak or lunch, but I don't think with the portions we had it caused for such a delay. The food was delicious. You eat with your hands here. So make sure they're fully cleaned before sitting down! We shared combos together. Vegetarian and meats. We had collard greens, 3 types of lentils, cabbage and I think goat cheese for veggie, then we had beef (cooked well done) lamb and chicken. My favorite was the lamb with the yellow lentil and cheese combo! What a flavor punch! read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegetarian combo and meat combo on one tray! - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

Came here on a sunday during lunch and was seated immediately! The staff is super friendly, the food is really good and flavorful and the bread was so soft and delicious! The place is really clean and the ambiance was pretty spacious so we were all able to catch up. My family and I had a really good time eating the food, desserts, and drinking the honey wine! We highly recommend this place! read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - vegetarian combo, kitfo, and the Zilzil Tibs! - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

There are very few ethiopian restaurants in bay area and this place is the only one that stands out. They have a whole vegetarian friendly menu options. The food was flavorful, perfectly spiced. Went with family for very late lunch and there was no line, got the table and service was fast. read more

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We arrived at Zeni's because my nephew wanted to try Ethiopian food (his first!). I had been describing the community platter and the making of the fermented bread (similar to an Indian Dosa), and the choice of vegetables, lentils and meats a plate could come with. Eager, he wanted to try it! We got ushered to a corner table (cause we wanted a corner table and not be sandwiched between two other tables with families. The space is small and the seating feels cramped. The spark is missing.... The space does not have a fresh look. Food is amazing! Great!!! But they charge you extra for a second set of injera (in the city, the second set is free!) Service can be a little better. More on top of things so to say. My nephew told them to make his lamb mix spicy but it wasn't. We asked for hot sauce and were given a teeny tiny sq dish of paprika like powder that wasn't spicy at all! Attention to customer requests makes that difference. Overall, give this place a try. It's good food!!!! read more

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant - Two community platters: one veg and one with meats. See that teeny ramekin with spice powder. - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

Two friends and I decided to check out Zeni for Sunday dinner. We arrived around 7 PM, and it was getting busy. We wrote a name down on the waitlist. The wait was about 15-20 minutes. SERVICE Three servers were bustling: seating tables, taking orders, bringing out drinks and food, cleaning up, and settling checks. Understaff and service were subpar. The wait for our food took about half an hour. FOOD * Veggie Combo: miser wot (lentil), gomen wot (collard greens), kiki alitcha (split peas), and timatim fitfit (tomato salad). * Meat Combo: ye-beg alitcha wot (lamb stew), doro tibs (chicken), and kitfo (minced raw beef). Both combination platters came out on the same plate. The vegetables were delicious. The meats were all seasoned well. We liked the lamb and chicken most. We ordered the minced beef medium thinking they were tibs, maybe because we were hungry, and placed our order quickly. The kitfo is hit or miss for some, but worth a try. Overall, solid Ethiopian restaurant with good food. I wish the service were better. Don't get me wrong, the staff were friendly and smiled through the dinner rush. Just not as attentive. read more

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Wonderful food. The vegetable and lamb entrees were so good. For dessert, they serve warm baklava. I've never had warm baklava before and it absolutely heightens the flavor. I was blissed out eating it along with a cup of Ethiopian coffee. Would definitely come back. read more