Awash Ethiopian Restaurant

This place is far from where we live but we made the journey. My gf never eats anything and she thoroughly destroyed the veggie platter. The food is amazing. The staff is super helpful and the price is right. They even have booze. If you’ve never tried Ethiopian food, this is a great place to start. If you’re already a fan, this may be the best you’ve had. Recommended.

To be honest, a review cannot do justice to how much I love this place. Awash is by far one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago and the best Ethiopian food I've ever had. I go there very often especially because it's open so late, and the staff are always so friendly and welcoming! I almost always get the veggie combo which is really fantastic, but everything I've tried there has been amazing. It's become a regular spot for me and many friends of mine, and every experience I've had there has been a pleasure.

My husband and our local friend in Chicago ate here. None of us had Ethiopian food before and everything tasted fantastic. We didn't know what to order, so we did the meat combo and veg combo for the 3 of us. We also tried the coffee and baklava. Every bit of it was top notch and delicious, and our server was very friendly.

I visited Awash while in Chicago for a conference. I rarely get a chance to eat Ethiopian food, so since I was staying nearby, I stopped in for dinner. I had the vegetable combo, served on the delicious injera. All the individual samples on the platter were quite tasty, perfectly seasoned, and satisfying portions. My server was friendly and attentive. I highly recommend Awash and will gladly come back when in Chicago again!

Sambosa chicken and beef have a nice flaky shell. Baklava is not too sweet. Meat combo you can taste the spices.

my friend and i’s first time having Ethiopian food. this was an incredible experience for people of all kinds, even john liked it (not too spicy). has options for everyone, even vegetarians. we got a shared meat plate and baklava. our favorite was the beef sambusa. so good 🥰

We had Tibs Sampler and Meat Combo for dinner. The food tastes amazing, service was awesome and plenty of parking with great music. I highly recommend it

As someone who has never had Ethiopian food, this was a great introduction! Great food! Great service! Great variety for a great price! We got the single person serving size of the Veg Platter despite being a duo and it was more than enough food. I definitely recommend if you want to try a lot of different things all at once (it’s also nut free for all my allergy baddies). Will definitely come back!

So delicious! We ate in the restaurant. Very clean, clean bathrooms. Wonderful friendly staff. Listened to our preferences and made recommendations. Spot on! Highly recommend! Ps. Very random but their water tasted to usually good.. clean, crisp, cold. I know it's weird but, it was great! And they had local (Ethiopian) beer. Great flavor! :)

D and I made a rare venture out to the Northside of Chicago on a random Sunday afternoon to satisfy a hankering for Ethiopian. We've only gone to Ethiopian Diamond but D suggested trying a different spot. It was a great suggestion as overall we received great service and delicious food from Awash. There was one server for the whole restaurant but there was only one other table so there wasn't a mad rush. Everything we ordered from the sambusa to the mixed meats and veggies were tasty. Overall we were pleased with Awash and will definitely add them as a place to visit again.

I love Awash! They have a parking lot which is a huge draw on a very busy street. The restaurant is spacious and the service is pleasant and prompt. I enjoy the vegetarian platter. Give it a try!

Unlike others, I find a "language barrier," to be 1) a sign of ethnic authenticity and 2) more the fault of the customer than the staff. Since I love Ethiopian food, I really should know more of the language, right? Chicago has no shortage of good Ethiopian restaurants, it was in Chicago that I first discovered the cuisine at Mama Desta's Red Sea Restaurant. This place is better, but there's only one ever first experience. Awash is a lovely place, spacious and some of the tables and chairs are carved with the famous Ethiopian rock churches. Beautiful but not comfortable. There are also Ethiopian style tables, which are fun but also not comfortable for me. The service is great, faster than other Ethio place I've been, and the food is quite good. I got a meat combo which had too much meat and not enough vegetable choices (okay, I see how that reads, but I'm keeping it anyway), and I like that the waitress was perfectly fine with us ordering the entrée for one even though there were two of us. We of course still didn't finish. I always enjoy an Ethiopian coffee afterwards even though after 3pm that means I'll be up all night. I think the biggest plus is that they have their own little parking lot, parking in this area is worse than tight. Very close to the Hampton Inn, Loyola, and the Red Line.

This place is everything I love about Ethiopian restaurants. The ambiance is simple, clean, and inviting. The food was authentic and so flavorful! The service was excellent! This is a must try for Ethiopian food enthusiasts or newcomers alike!

Ethiopian food at its best. So one thing I learnt about Ethiopian food is they are diabetic friendly. The service was apt. The lady server who was serving us answered all our questions was polite and cordial. They had full bar with lots of options. I had chicken Wat mild and veggie combo which was cooked to perfection. Ambiance was quiet and was family friendly restaurant. For me the biggest selling point was they have a huge private lot for parking, which was insane on a busy street. Will definitely be back here.

Absolutely amazing food and service. Brought a large party of people who were new to Ethiopian food and the owner was so welcoming and patiently explained all the foods. We finished the meal with the coffee service which I highly recommend. They also served gluten free teff only injera when I asked for it.

Ordered delivery from here and was very, very happy with what arrived at the doorstep. The sampler plates, especially the vegetarian one, is much better in terms of offerings and flavors given vs other Ethiopian restaurants I've been to. And while Ethiopian salad does not travel well, they included it as well, which was nice because I've been missing that fresh crunch (which ended up being half cooked, but I still loved/appreciated it). We ordered a few items: the meat sampler, lamb alicha entree, and the vegetarian sampler plate. The meat sampler (comes with gomen and yellow lentils) and lamb alicha (comes with yellow lentils and atakilt wat) were both solid choices - I would've loved more sauce with everything, but other than that, the flavors were all there. The lamb could've been more fall-apart, which I prefer, but it was quite tender still. The vegetarian sampler is what stood out to me and I would order again and again. It included most all the usual items including gomen (collard greens), yellow lentils, red lentils, atakilt wat (cabbage/carrots/potatoes), ethiopian salad, but also included a couple I've had in the past and have loved but are often not included, including the beet salad and some sort of white dip, I think maybe made of cheese? Such a great deal for $20. Everything was cooked to perfection, the injera was perfectly sour although a little harder than I would've liked, it stands up better as leftovers.

This is a delightful experience. One of my favorite things to do when I have people in from out of town who are interested in an intriguing, mildly off the beaten path of tourist things to do, it first check out the Bahai Worship Center and then head 5 miles south for Ethiopian food. These two are not related, at the same time the total experience is rather exotic!

I love this place! My partner and I always order the veggie combo for one and split it (with an extra order of injera) and it's some of the best I've had, plus the portions are big enough for 2 people even though it's technically for 1. The hummus on the platter is SO good, the staff is extremely sweet and friendly and service is always fast. Our go-to Ethiopian restaurant in our neighborhood.

The service was amazing and the food was just as good. This injera was great while the Gulash had great flavor

Ordered delivery. Came promptly. Ordered a half dozen entrees not realizing how big they were. I'm writing enough to fill the minimum size for a review because all that needs to be said is "damn good".

I went here with friends, who were trying Ethiopian food for the first time. The environment was authentic. The incense was overwhelming. They did a coffee ceremony, which was honorable. We ordered a meat and veggie platter to share. It was okay, but not enjoyed by all. It was not the best I've tasted, but the experience was nice. The employees and other patrons were willing to share cultural information and explanations.

There is so much to really like about Awash. The servers are lovely people despite a serious language barrier. It's like trying to order drinks, especially, in a foreign land. We were there on a slow night so instead of a problem, we made a game of charades of it and pretty much got what we wanted. It helps to have a good sense of humor. Even though the place was almost empty that night, the ambiance was welcoming and attractive. The hand-carved chairs are from Ethiopia, and the back of each one tells a different story. A very nice touch. The combo vegie platter; kitfo leb leb--spicy raw ground beef, very lightly heated; and doro wat--chicken and hard-boiled egg in a brown sauce very similar to Mexican mole sauce, were all good, i.e., Just. Good. Not lay down and die for. But certainly enjoyable enough. My only complaint, and for me, a serious one: As another guest said in another review on another site, the injera (stretchy sour dough bread) was hardly sour at all and that's unfortunate. You might read this review and wonder why not three stars instead of four? Well, you had to be there. I couldn't turn a screw into these truly lovely, delightful, good-natured, eager-to-please folks from Ethiopia who can't make American drinks and don't know how to make sour dough injera. If they are willing and able to learn a few new tricks, these sweet pups can grow into major show dogs.

One of the best Ethiopian restaurants in chicago. This gem is located in edgewater near the Loyola university. The place is big and staff is wonderful. We ordered the 24, Meat Combo and Vegetable Combo. The beef tibs were the best, super flavorful. The bread was super fresh as well. It's big enough to fill two people. When it comes to Ethiopian food, family style and eating from the same big plate is the way to go, so don't miss out by getting separated plates. The pic you see above has both meat and vegetables combo in it. P.S. surprisingly, the meat combo had some fish in it, which was decent but not as good compared to the beef tibs. Overall, great experience

Food quality is amazing. Service is also great. I recommend getting kitfo. Friendly for vegans and all eaters. Top Ethiopian Restaurant with the Chicago area.

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! You know the feeling when you kinda hungry, so you really picky over what you want to eat? Well, I was having one of them days. I started think of cuisine, and where, and looking at menus, and dismissing them because it was not really what I wanted. And then I came to my favorite: Ethiopian... yeah, I could do that -- but then the where?? ~ Ras Dashen been left the scene replace by Axom (they did not have fish; so even though I wanted to try it - I wanted fish) - they were a no so maybe a next time. ~ Tesfa - its okay ~ Diamond and Demera feel like they lost they soul -- and I looked in the kitchen and it explains a lot -- kinda sad cause the Diamond was a standard -- now its just standard. So I knew what I wanted a veggie plate with Asa Tibs and an order of samosas, an Ethiopian beer, and some coffee. BUT WHERE???!!!?? I hit up Yelp to see what I was missing. And I ran across Awash -- I was here all the way back in 2014; when I was still married and Dashen was still open, neither is still true. -- So it true that this place is still 4 stars?? Nope -- It is a solid 5 The ambiance is nice -- the music is nice -- The smell walking in was nice -- The service was what was expected - it was nice The food was very tasty! We got just what I wanted Started with the samosas - 2 spinach, 1 cabbage and potato, and 2 lentils -- a they were good with the squeeze of lime and some of the awaze sauce they were a hit with our favorite being the lentil. The veggie plate was the whole truth -- they still that cute separate portions and I can dig that -- but it did not stop my date from from finishing his portion reaching on my side. The veggies were fresh and the flavorful -- DELICIOUS! and a dip of mitmita before a scope had us moaning in food delight. A pleasant surprise was the garlic fava spread that we enjoyed way after all the end of the meal. The fish -- oh my goodness -- that fish was tasty -- it was perfectly fried and well seasoned. -- my guy said it tasted like fish bacon -- I know it was crispy and delicious! We enjoyed our meal with a Habesha beer - which complimented the food tremendously. We finished with a coffee -- perfect. This was some of the best eats I've had in a while -- AND at a reasonable price I am already planning my next visit. -- I found my new favorite Ethiopian spot. GREAT EATS!!!!

Great Ethiopian restaurant on Broadway and Devon, easy to get to from the Red line (Granville or Loyola) or Broadway bus. We had the vegetarian sampler which was really well portioned for 2. The highlights were the beets (room temp but tender from the cooking), the fava bean spread that comes with a mildly spiced sauce which looks like hummus but amazing in its own way, and the various lentil dishes. The meat dishes also looked amazing, the table next to us had a pile of short ribs that looked amazing. The service is friendly and attentive. The room is airy and the tables well spaced apart. There's also a bar menu and a small parking lot that was full when we went, but street parking is easy enough. Highly recommended

We were a party of 4 for lunch. We ordered assorted sambusa as an appetizer and a meat combo and a vegetable combo. We met the chef and several servers all of whom were friendly and helpful in selecting our choices. The food was delicious and nutritious - we'll be back!

I just ordered the meat combo and the vegetarian combo - - the reviews were right. This place is fantastic. Portions Were plentiful, everything was fresh, and the service was exceptional.

What a great meal we had at Awash to celebrate Valentine's Day. The restaurant was decorated with flowers and red balloons. The 3 of us ordered one veg combo, one meat combo and assorted sambusa. Plenty of food and so, so good, especially the fava beans, shiro and the lamb. All we saw were our server and the chef (both women) and the service was great. Food came out quickly and was very flavorful and delicious. We walked out wanting to come back very soon.

I drove a long way and they allowed me to order at closing. Here's a link to the menu https://www.awashethiopianrestaurant.com/menu. Pictures attached. Full bar experience, full menu meat and veggie.

The vegetable combination dish came with a fresh and cooked veggies/legumes on the injera bread. They were carefully placed in small portions and my friend and I had our own portion. Delicious, colorful, and flavorful! We started with spinach sambusa for appetizer and Ethiopian coffee to finish the meal. Servers are helpful with food choices. It was a calm Friday to have a meal in a sitting down local restaurant.

Food was 5 star and priced well! Really nice servers and they have a parking lot! The food was hot a fresh. It didn't taste like it was sitting around. I've been here at their first location. The new spot is much bigger and they have a bar.

Delicious. Had 2 veg combos and 2 tilapia dishes for 4 hungry people. Left FULL. So flavorful. Wish we had taken pictures but we were too excited to eat.

I went to Awash for the first time this past Saturday. This restaurant could easily escape notice, tucked back off the street beside a much livelier pizza place with outdoor seating. I'm glad we DID notice it, because the food is delicious. We shared the vegetarian messob for 2, which was delicious and more than enough for us. The service was attentive and friendly. This spacious restaurant has plenty of room between tables and a QR code on each table to access the menu to ensure safety. Overall, a great experience and I'll be back.

I always love to try all different kinds of foods and I am so glad I visited Awash Ethiopian Restaurant for my first time trying Ethiopian food. One step into the restaurant and the aroma made my stomach growl! You can literally smell the flavor. Since we went with friends who had gone there before, we let them help us with the menu. We did the combo so we could try everything. We ordered the Tibs Sampler for 1 Person ($21.50), Meat Sampler for 2 Persons ($41.00), and Mango Drinks ($4 ea). The samplers came with Sambusas and we tried one of each. My sister tried a sample of Honey Wine which was SO amazing and sweet, light, and flavorful. We were a table of 4 and the amount we received was just right! We even had leftovers. Our other friends ordered pretty much the same except they did each one for 2 persons- I really didn't notice that much of a size difference. Where do I start? My favorite sambusa had to be beef. For the platter, everything was bursting with flavor- each meat had a different type of seasoning. As a Filipino, some of the flavors felt familiar to our own kinds of dishes so that was cool to taste! The veggies were DELICIOUS. Seasoned well and light, they were the perfect compliment to the meats. You are given Injera bread, which is like a thin sourdough flatbread, to eat with the samplers. Everything paired so well, my taste buds were so happy! You eat with your hands: all you have to do is pinch a piece of bread and use that to grab some of the food and you're all set. They also have a sink outside of the bathrooms which is extremely helpful. I would recommend this place to everyone. I truly liked every dish, and even the drinks were just as flavorful. Divided among 4 people, each person pitched in about $20ish which is not bad at all. I felt like portions and prices were very fair. Service was outstanding, our waiter was so extremely kind and patient. Please show support and visit Awash Ethiopian!

Ambiance is nice service was terrible, honestly felt like it was because we were American black women the hostess was rude and had an attitude when we asked about the incredibly small portion of food they gave us when we asked if we could purchase more she said it wasn't an option. She also couldn't comprehend what we were asking for. It's not worth the bang for the buck. The injera was fresh and the tea was good however the food wasn't even all that hot! This was my second time coming the first time I came in with my East African husband and had a much much better experience for the same price. Maybe if she wasn't so busy running her mouth at the bar she could've took the time to understand what we were asking for. Never again.

Really great homestyle meals here are a favorite for groups and for dinners at home. Freshly prepared and great flavors in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Take out is also beautifully presented. Don't miss.

This place is horrible. The staff is rude and food is mediocre at best. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. I have never had a worse experience.

Well it's been a long time since I ate here however despite Ethiopian restaurant being popular in north side of Chicago in Edgewater and suburbs of Evanston I decided to come here. Usually I go to Ethiopian diamond for their south or Demetra Ethiopian restaurant by Lawrence and Broadway but parking is usually difficult or challenging in both places and some of the restaurants despite going there for a long time before Awasha open is starting to get a little expensive than it was back in the late 1990s when I used to eat at Ethiopian diamond and later Demetra. Anyways I had a craving for Ethiopian cuisine and was getting tired with everything else. One thing I noticed about this place is that the portions they give are not as filling which is not a bad thing because in Ethiopia they really don't eat that much in regards of what the stews they put on there in Jara bread. They're injera tasted a little more fresher and texture than the other restaurants that are popular in Chicago. Lastly another unusual thing was that they had baklava for dessert despite the limits of what desserts they have compared to Ethiopian diamond although I don't remember having any unique dessert and Ethiopia in my travels to Ethiopia. Anyways the way they prepared their baklava as much different than how most Middle Eastern restaurants we prepare it. They put another crumble of a sweet dough with marzipano cherries giving it a unique sweet taste that was delicious. Do come here if you're craving for Ethiopian but is on a budget and does not expect to be too full. Beware when it comes to paying and expecting your check if you are in a hurry. Thus 4 out of 5 stars.

I'd never tried Ethiopian food before, but I left feeling quite satisfied. I came in around 5ish and it was very quiet, and I did that somewhat intentionally since I enjoy/prefer eating when a restaurant is somewhat empty. The bartender/server was pleasant and we had some conversation. I had the vegetarian combo which the server said was also vegan friendly. I certainly got my money's worth as well, as I was full even without eating all of the dish. It was small portions of a bunch of dishes on a platter. I would totally go again!

The service was great-- the staff were very attentive. I got the meat mixed platter. The food could have used more salt and/or seasoning.

Ordered the veg platter. Decent flavors. Not the best Ethiopian veggie platter but not the worst. Portion size, great. Customer service...not great. Lots of veggie options given which was nice. Some of the sauces weren't seasoned the best but overall...decent.

Good food! Friendly and patient Waitress. It was our first time. Nice atmosphere. Clean. Much larger then it looks from the outside.

We got the vegetarian and meat combo platter and it did not disappoint! Great service! Just be prepared to get your hands dirty ;) Small parking lot out front but street parking isn't hard to find either.

This place was outstanding. BEST Ethiopian I e ever had. And our server was so lovely and kind. 5 stars all the way. Love Awash and highly recommend!

Very delicious food! Had veg combo and goden tibsi! Must try coffee is the best of best! Enjoyed the the aroma off the coffee as well!

Best Ethiopian food in Chicago!!! I've been to a few different spots around town but this one is my favorite. We always get a Vegetarian Messob, they just have us a little bit of ALL the vegetarian dishes which was really nice so everyone could try different things. Everything is so fresh, delicious, and carefully prepared. The restaurant is large and looks nice, overall you can tell they take pride in their place and of course their food. The family that runs it is so sweet, they are so genuine and hardworking and when I came in with a group of friends they were celebrating one of the owner's birthday and they gave us cake and we all sang happy birthday!! We felt like family!

No doubt some of the best Ethiopian food I've had in Chicago. The meat combo and the vegetarian combo together allowed me and my sister to try all of the lentils, vegetables, and a few meat options which was pretty cool. The homemade cheese was new to me, but a good complement to the sour injera! We walked in pretty late at night and asked if they were still serving food, and I'm so glad they were open after 11pm for us! Don't judge a book by its cover, because although the exterior is pretty generic, the inside has clean bathrooms, a huge bar, and a many tables! I enjoyed the lightly cucumber flavored water and my favorite dishes were probably the lamb and the misir wat. Would definitely come back again, I imagine their great flavors in the veggie and meat combos would mean that their kitfo is delicious as well!

If Yelp allowed me to give zero stars, I would. The service was horrible, along with the food. The only thing that was good sad to say was maybe the tea. Felt like if I were ethiopian, I would have gotten better treatment . Really regret I the money I spent there. Don't waste your time or money go to ethiopian diamond. I really feel like going back and asking for a refund.

I've been to a number of different Ethiopian restaurants and have always liked the food. Sadly, I did not like the food here. I got the meat combo A. The doro wat tasted bitter, the collard greens were not spiced at all, the tikel gomen was complete mush...honestly, the flavor was so off for most of the meal that I thought it needed salt, which is really weird for Ethiopian food. And beyond all of that, the woman coughed into her hand before giving me my food. Womp womp.

Fabulous flavors and excellent service! Our party of six enjoyed our relaxing meal at Awash. Our server was so friendly and humorous. Will return again.

I've been meaning to venture and try out more independently owned authentic restaurants. This place stays true to that 100%. The ingredients were super fresh. Also: they roast their coffee beans in small batches! Honestly what a wonderful experience. I got the vegetarian combo and coffee. I'll be back to explore more of the menu soon :)

I came here for the 1st time today to find a very elegant atmosphere. Clean, beautiful and great ethnic music and videos. Parking was a BONUS! FREE in the attached lot. I ordered Ethiopian coffee to start, spicy Durawat with veggies very good! I live an hour away. When I come north I always seek to eat Ethiopian cuisine. So glad my client referred this restaurant to me. I will be coming back. It's nice to have a change in scenery and food preparation

Yum! I've been to several Ethiopian places on the north side and this one hit the spot. It's now definitely up there as one of my favorites. I ordered to go and got the meat sampler. (be warned: the menu online has a tibs sampler that isn't available any longer and also a second meat sampler but they only one meat sampler, which is the A choice if you're looking at the menu.) The sampler came with one beef (Kay watt), one chicken (Doro way) and one lamb (yebeg alicha, I think) and two sides, yemisir watt and quosta. There wasn't a miss among them. I almost never order lamb at Ethiopian places because it ends up being a little gamey and a lot of bones. This lamb was tender and boneless (at least the pieces I got) and delicious. The beef was also tender and so good. I never get Doro watt either because the price doesn't seem justified but the one chicken leg and egg you usually get. This sampler came with one leg and an egg itself and was only $18. The veggie sides were very good as well. The portions were very generous and I'm a big eater. I honestly can't wait to dig into my leftovers tonight and can't wait to try this place again. The inside was super cute and the woman I dealt with seemed super sweet. I'll definitely be back!

Came with a vegan meetup for buffet-style dinner. The food was delicious and beautiful. I'd never had salad at an Ethiopian restaurant, and the beet salad was out-of-this-world. There were several watts, tikil gomen, misir asifa, diblik atkilt, kik alitcha and two kinds of injera -- wheat and teff. I went back for seconds. My son, who is not vegan, did too; he also liked the honey wine. My only complaint is that the food was not ready for us to eat at 5:30 p.m. as scheduled. Many of us arrived at 5 p.m. as scheduled.

My family was visiting and decided to check it out. The Sambusas were crispy, and the filling was delish. We had the meat combo for 2 and veggie combo for one. Simply amazing. My sister has the shrimp aslesha (sp?) also amazing. I highly recommend this place.

This was one of the many Ethiopian options near Rogers Park that showed up on Yelp, and yet it disappointed me in so many ways that I wished I had gone to any other one nearby. The food was alright, but took 40 mins when my bf and I were the only customers during early dinner time. The service was questionable, and the atmosphere was not welcoming. To start off with, there was a very strong incense smell as soon as we walked into the restaurant, which also made my eyes water. It gave us headaches and is not ideal for my bf who has asthma. When we ordered food, the waiter had to come back to our table a second time to confirm our order (we were the only ones in the restaurant), and she gave us and charged us for tea when we didn't order any tea. Moving on through the dinner, we hear and see 2 screaming kids both in kitchen and in the dining area. When we were given moist towelettes after eating, my towelette was dried up, presumably from being expired. Meat Combo B for 2 The Good entree samplers: The lamb, the beef, the salad, and the lentils The mediocre entree samplers: The chicken, spinach, and veggies The lamb and beef were spot on with the sauce, albeit slightly tough in texture. Lentils were good, salad dressing was amazing, light, and fresh. The spinach we took one bite of; it had a weird taste and was overcooked and mushy. The chicken we could not eat, because the sauce was pungent. The Ethiopian tea was phenomenal though. Think like a chai red tea. Prices are reasonable, but I will not be coming back here.