ALEM RESTAURANT

Alem is one of our all time favorite places in Seattle! The service is great and the food is even better. Awesome prices, huge portions, and such savory brilliant food. 🙌🏼 we arrive excited, and leave very very full.

The Alem brings traditional Ethiopian dishes and affable service to the Seattle area. Bring your friends or family and share a veggie or meat combo platter to fully experience the variety of flavors and elegance of each item. My personal favorite had to have been the Doro Wat or "chicken stew" bathed in butter and spices. Another fun piece of our experience was using the injera style "flatbread" to grab our desired items from the platter. It brought a unique atmosphere that let us bond with each other as we shared the meal together.

Maybe because I got there when it first opened up, they weren’t ready, but my injera bread was cold. I was soooo sad. But they are good people! Maybe I’ll have to try again.

Went here for Father’s Day dinner and had a really good meal. We got a meat combo and a vegetarian combo to split amongst the four of us. The food was great! Some dishes were spicy and some were not but they all were delicious. Our server was friendly and helpful throughout the meal. We got there after 9 pm and had no problem getting a meal that late. We will be back.

We decided to stop for lunch while driving down Ranier Ave. I found this restaurant on Yelp and decided to give it a try. We were able to park in front of the restaurant. Only street parking is available. We arrived at the restaurant at 12:30 pm with 3 people, but there were no customers, probably because it was a weekday. A woman in the store greeted us with a smile. We looked menu and chosen #1 meat combo and 3 of ginger tea. We always eat one plate of Ethiopian food for two people. This time, the meat combo was large, so we ordered one for 3 people. A meat platter with a mix of meat entries are perfect to try. Ginger tea tastes different depending on the restaurant. I usually like sweet ginger tea with honey. But there is no sweetness here, and sugar comes. So adjust sweetness by yourselves. Meat combo comes with 8 kinds of ingredients on the injera. The taste was good and made us full. I would like to try other menus next time.

This quaint restaurant with an unassuming store front is worth stopping in for some great food! The staff was lovely and answered all of our questions about the dishes we were unfamiliar with. The food itself was delicious - we tried the Alem Special which came with a great spread of both meat and vegetable entrees to sample. If you haven't had Ethiopian food before, you use the injera as a utensil which makes for a fun and decadent experience. This restaurant is along the busy Rainier Ave so it's street parking only. We were able to find a spot easily at around 8pm on a Sunday but I imagine it's more difficult earlier in the day or during the week.

My family loves Ethiopian food, so we thought we’d branch out from our normal go-to spot. The veggie combo was very flavorful and delicious. The portions were smaller than their competitors but not significantly so. Unfortunately, the meat combo was just awful (hence the one star). We were given two large bones, bones which didn’t have any meat that could be picked off. And the wee bit of meat that was left after removing the bones, was extremely tough and inedible. The dish included a pile of cheese, a veggie dish, and an egg, which in my mind doesn’t count for meat when ordering a meat platter. And the portion for the meat platter was even smaller than the veggie platter. Very disappointing! I was hoping this was our new go-to spot as it’s on the way home, but not.

The food was great and the staff super helpful. She helped point us to the best menu items, and offered extra injera!

Back again and again and it literally just hits so good. Have had a ton of Ethiopian food all over the west coast and even compared to the Bay Area this is my favorite hands down. Veg combo and shiro for the win. Injera is perfect level of sour and good amount of teff.

We stopped in on a Sunday afternoon and it was not busy at the time. Coming in during slow times always makes it difficult to judge the service but it was ok. We ordered the meat and veg sampler. The food was good. I think Ethiopian food has some of the best veg dishes. I was hoping for a bit more but I believe it was just the weird time we came in.

This was a first time experience of Ethiopian/ Eritrea cuisine. When I asked for a fork, what I got was a funny look:) Eat with your hands using Ijera bread..oh. I found the cuisine and experience to be very pleasant. There would be a need to try different meals to be able to rate. Yet, it was new to me and for that I enjoyed it.

We want to this restaurant on a quiet weekday afternoon. We were the only customers there for the first half of the meal. The cook was also the server, and she said she was new, so things were slower than usual. She graciously apologized for the wait and treated us very well. We ordered a veggie platter and a meat platter. Both were great but the meat was especially good. I'm never completely sure what I am eating at Ethiopian restaurants but that doesn't matter, as it is all delicious.

Can't believe 4.9 on Yelp and 4.8 on Google. Simply horrible! We had 2 dishes. One "veggie combo" and one "meat combo". Both served on cold enjeras -- not room temperature! COLD! Vegetarian dish was brought to the table cold. By the time they warmed it up the meat dish was cold. Half of the vegetarian dish had no taste. Quality of meat was terrible -- not chewable. To consume, one would have to swallow chunks. Service was pleasant but not informed. The server must have been new. Knew little about the menu. BTW, we have had Ethiopian food many times.

I stopped by Alem on a Rainy day for a generous late lunch for one. I live South of Seattle, and don't have Ethiopian food readily accessible so I was really looking forward to this meal. There was plenty of seating, and I was able to grab a table right away. The server was very kind and took my order right away (I ordered the #1 meat/veggie). My food came out shortly after, and was beautiful. I had so much food, it was really enough to share but I was in heaven. I ate as much as I could but still had about half of the meal left. It was all perfect. ALL PERFECT. The okra is especially amazing. The chef also came to introduce themself and asked if I'd like a coffee. Y'all. They brought me a beautiful cup of coffee. It was sooooo delicious. I want another cup right now. 10/10

Very good Ethiopian Cuisine. I would come back. The lady who helped me was very friendly and helpful. I had the vegetable sampler and a side of shiro. The hot greens dish was super good in the sampler and everything else was enjoyable as well. If the shiro had more flavor it would be an easy 5 stars. I reviewed 3 Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle in last week, I would rank this one the best. They are all above average! I've had Ethiopian food at numerous spots in NYC, DC, and Baltimore so my standards are extremely high. Most people would rank 2-3 of these spots I reviewed at 5 stars which I do understand.

I never had Ethiopian food before and I'm glad I tried it here first. The Alem plate is like a big sampler plate, so you can try several different foods. And you can share it with 2 people easily. Servers were very nice. Highly recommend

Holy yes. This place it amazing.. holy delicious it was a late night like sporadic moment we were like let's check it out. It was spontaneous. We couldn't see it in the beginning. Don't let the discourage you.. I think it might be closed outside but no. look go ahead and open that door, once you go in there it's super warm the waitress was super cool, the owner I think was there so he kicked it with us by the table, a must the food I mean the flavors were amazing women chefs it was just really good. Heaven sent will be a favorite spot for sure.

We decided to stop for lunch while driving down Ranier Ave. I found this restaurant on Yelp and decided to give it a try. We were able to park in front of the restaurant. Only street parking is available. We arrived at the restaurant at 12:30 pm with 3 people, but there were no customers, probably because it was a weekday. A woman in the store greeted us with a smile. We looked menu and chosen #1 meat combo and 3 of ginger tea. We always eat one plate of Ethiopian food for two people. This time, the meat combo was large, so we ordered one for 3 people. A meat platter with a mix of meat entries are perfect to try. Ginger tea tastes different depending on the restaurant. I usually like sweet ginger tea with honey. But there is no sweetness here, and sugar comes. So adjust sweetness by yourselves. Meat combo comes with 8 kinds of ingredients on the injera. The taste was good and made us full. I would like to try other menus next time.

The service is great, very nice people. We had delicious Ethiopian foods and the whole experience was amazing.

Great Hidden Find Delicious homemade Ethiopian food at a great price! Under new management and run by two lovely sisters. We went there for lunch and shared an order of veggie Shiro Wat. One order was enough to feed the both of us, which made it a great value. The homemade injera is 100% Teff, which is delicious and naturally gluten free. As they are just getting established they are currently offering free coffee with meals at lunchtime. Absolutely worth a visit and another welcome addition to our neighborhood

This place is a gem! We had the veggie combo and the Alem special for the three of us. The server asked if wanted it all on one platter, great idea! The wonderful variety of flavors and textures were delicious. Very comfortable atmosphere. Definitely going back.

The food and service was amazing! The food was very traditional and had great flavor. We got the meat and veggie combo and could not finish.

Service was great. Server asked me about spice level and I got what I asked for. Great flavors and super nice staff. I will be back.

The service was so kind, the food was so flavorful and perfect, and the ambiance was great!! Loved the special combos it was delicious, thank you!! It was also accommodating to my friends vegan and gluten free restrictions which was great!

Yes, the injera is 100% teff , thus gluten free. Alem is one of my favorite spots in that area of Seattle. Not for tourists but for people who know what they want, and know how to eat it. Delicious and expertly prepared. Complex flavors and large portions. Don't let the bars on the windows scare you. Inside is warm, hospitable and genuine. I'm looking forward to my next gig in the area, just to return to Alem.

Gluten free injera, huge portions, vegan options and the BEST shiro and coffee I've ever had in my entire life. I drive here from Bellevue often and it's WORTH IT. Also not to mention the best service ever from the kindest people.

Just ate at Alem. Had the veggie combo and the meat combo. There were three of us and were stuffed! Excellent Ethiopian/Eritrean food. Friendly and hospitable. I'll be back!

Where do I begin? Service was great, the food was delicious, the staff was friendly. I will definitely be back!

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, and it was amazing! The portions were massive and the bread was really soft. The waitress was really kind and patient and explained each item on the menu for us. The prices are great; I felt like we were getting a steal for the amount of food we got. I highly recommend this place if you're in the area! Probably best to go with a group because one plate is enough for 2 people.

This is my first experience having Ethiopian food. My friend and I got the veggie platter which had various beans and veggies on it with gluten-free sour-ish bread. It was so good! My favorite was the yellow lentils, okra and greens. It was filling and healthy. We eat with our fingers too. Our other friends got two dishes combined in one, family style sharing Our waitress was also the cook and definitely small Business owner trying to make it happen! Definitely recommend!

I love Ethiopian food, but don't have a restaurant close to my home. While visiting Seattle, we decided to make this a priority for dinner one night. We had a party of 11, and called to a few restaurants before settling on this one. The ambiance was lovely, and the staff had pulled tables together to accommodate our large group. Everyone there was so friendly and welcoming! And the food was DELICIOUS! We definitely over ordered, but the leftovers tasted even better the next day. My son is 2.5, and has recently developed a fear of anything spicy. We ordered the spaghetti for him, but unfortunately it was still too spicy for him (it wasn't spicy at all) and the chef was SO sweet and accommodating about it. She cooked up some plain noodles for him and tossed them in olive oil We had an amazing time, and will definitely be dropping by again the next time we're in the area.

I have been enjoying Ethiopian food in Seattle for 20 years. This place opened nearby during the pandemic and I have been ordering takeout ever since. Fresh food, well prepared, served with grace and friendly faces. I love it!

Alem is our favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Seattle. We haven't had anything we don't like. We always get one Alem Special combo and a Veggie combo so we get a little bit of everything. The staff is friendly and always willing to answer questions.

I'm a fan of Ethiopian food and have eaten many dishes over many years at many restaurants in several US cities. Tonight we got veggie combo, lamb tibs, and doro wat. All was good but I think it was the best Doro Wat I've ever had. Great service too. I'll be back!

delicious lunch firfir served by a very kind server, massa sp? a gem near columbia city neighborhood. i will definitely return. also there is a small breakfast menu too

Delicious food and incredible service. Would definitely go again! Doro Wat was our favorite. The chef and waiter were incredibly kind and hard-working. This meal checked all our boxes!

Being vegan and conscious about the quality of food I eat I value what Alem is doing. Using ghee or pure olive oil by request is rare find. The quality Of food and portion size is perfect. The service is amazing even when they are busy. Overall will eat here many more times!

Doesn't get much better as far as vegan options in the south end! We got the veggie platter. So much food for 17 bucks! Great portion sizes and a cozy space. Location just north of Columbia city is easily walkable. Great new business!

I have tried several Ethiopian restaurants in the city and love the distinct, rich spices that Alem uses in their dishes. They also have gluten free injera!

Great spicy combos, both the veggie and the meat. More spicy, and with different variety of spices than some east African foods I've had. Hope they get a bunch of new customers!

Delicious. Friendly staff. Excellent shiro wat. Most definitely recommend Alem restaurant.

quality food excellent service and inviting place, We had a group dinner and we were accommodated very well.

I'll start by saying that my wife and I have ran an award-winning food service business for 10 years, we love food and have very discerning palettes. Pretty much every time we come up to Seattle, we eat Ethiopian food, and have tried a lot of different restaurants over the past 15 years. I took my wife and teenage son to a concert in Seattle for her birthday, and afterwards we called them up to see if they would be ok with us coming in really close to closing. They were super nice and accommodated us, despite the inconvenience. When we told them it was her birthday, they hooked her up with a really great cocktail on the house, played some really fun birthday music, and treated us with so much kindness! The flavors were astounding, portions were awesomely ample, the injera was legit, made without wheat flour, and was seriously the best I've ever had. I'm gonna just go ahead and say it's my new favorite Ethiopian food spot, and I highly recommend it. I also have to mention that our 14 year old son, who was really not happy with our choice initially and is usually a light and picky eater totally got down on the food until he was stuffed, so that's saying a lot!