Axum Cafe

Wonderful Ethiopian restaurant with delicious food, friendly waiters and a homey vibe. Lots of vegetarian options (we ordered the Veggie sampler), and the food is delicious and authentic. Portions are large. Also have beer and wine.

Incredible food and generous portions. My partner and I order about 3 main dishes and extra injera, and it’s enough to last us two full meals :) highly recommend the tibsie with any protein and kitfo. Lots of vegetarian options as well that are equally delicious. The staff is so friendly and they make it easy to support our local businesses. I’ve only been able to order from them during shelter in place, and can’t wait to pay a proper visit once restaurants are re-opened.

Used to love ordering takeout/delivery from this place, not sure if it has just gone downhill or if tonight is just a fluke. The food arrived a hot mess...everything was very soupy, so it mixed together, and it was wildly inconsistent in temperature. The shiro was bizarrely chunky, it's usually pureed and silky. Taste was delicious but the consistency and temperature were difficult to get over.

The place serves good Ethiopian food, and it's a great spot for vegetarians. The injera bread (a sour, fermented flatbread - more delicious than it sounds!) is served on the side probably because of COVID. Normally there's a layer underneath all the yummy goodness. For a group of four, we ordered the Vegetarian Platter for 3 + a meat entree. It was the perfect amount, and they provide just enough injera that we didn't have any left to take home. The staff is so friendly. It seems to be a family establishment. While we were there, someone struck up a traditional instrument and serenaded us. They have opened indoor dining for now, but takeout seemed to be the most popular option.

Veggie combo here was great and decent portion to share between 2 folks! It is very spicy, like made-my-friend-raised-on-Sichuanese-food-cry spicy, so come prepared and maybe order some extra injera unless you're a master at the bread ratio.

The food was a 10. Lots of flavor, freshness and spice. I would recommend to add some nice music to the place, it feels like it needed life. If you want just good food, this is the place

A simple place with homely simple food that hits the spot. I had the Tibsie Lamb with njira that's a kind of flat bread. If you enjoy spicy food, give this place a try.

Has a separate section on the menu which notes the vegan options which makes navigating what to eat on the vegan side easier.

Sorry to see it close. We live out of town but always made it a stop when visiting. Thank you for the joy you gave my family over the decades.

Axum is a family owned restaurant that's been in the Lower Haight for years. Sadly, they just posted a sign saying goodbye, closing June 30th. If you've never had Ethiopian food, act fast. Eat like a Viking with your hands. I highly recommend the Sambusas, similar to a Samosa, only more flavor, thanks to the jalapeños. Let's fill up the place & show some love.

I have to admit it was probably a mistake to order takeout here not because the food was so mediocre but because Ethiopian food just doesn't travel well. The stew-like consistency of most of the individual dishes doesn't lend itself well to traditional tray cartons, and after walking for over half an hour, I confronted a spillage problem with the $16 Veggie Combo for One (photo: https://bit.ly/3zpDf08). As you see, the components spilled over each other, which was a shame, as the combo included five familiar favorites - Alicha (sautéed potatoes, carrots, cabbage and jalapeños), Alicha Ater (puréed yellow chickpeas), Hamli (sautéed spinach with onion), Kintishara (mushroom stew), and Tumotomo (puréed red lentil beans). The situation was compounded by the wateriness of the consistency. Bummer. I did my best to leverage the injera to scoop it up but to little avail. Alas, I was hoping for a little guilty pleasure with the $4 Sambusa, a baked pastry filled with sautéed whole lentils, onions, and jalapeños (photo: https://bit.ly/3gSjIyP). The challenge was that it tasted more deep-fried than baked. Just way too greasy for my taste despite my aversion to air fryers. Yes, I think dining here might've helped, but these are still takeout times. FOOD - 3 stars...a veggie combo that almost turned into one stew AMBIANCE - n/a...looked nice enough in here SERVICE - 3 stars...well, they did give me a bag TOTAL - 3 stars...pretty good but oh the spillage RELATED - Exploring the Haight? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2YK1e99

Just noticed that Axum is permanently closed. It was the first Ethiopian restaurant I ever went to and turned me onto Ethiopian cuisine, which became one of my favorite ethnic foods. For that, I will always be grateful and hold fond memories of this restaurant. Thank you for all of the great food and hospitality.

First time trying Ethiopian food! It was a cool experience to eat without utensils. I wasn't blown away by the food itself, though. We got the chicken and the veggie combo. Chicken was mediocre and was on the drier side. I liked the mushroom on the veggie platter - quite flavorful! BUT I don't think it was worth $40 for two people though... the food seemed more like a quick cheap bite, and I wasn't thrilled about the bill The service was quick, attentive and kind.

This place was great! The owner was very nice and constantly kept our waters refilled. Our party of three shared a veggie platter for two and a tibsie lamb, which turned out to be the perfect portion. Everything was so flavorful, authentic, and spicy. We finished the meal full and had no leftovers.

I came for a Sunday night dinner in a group of 3, and the restaurant was fairly empty with really fast service! We got the veggie platter for 3 to share, which ended up being more than enough food, and we probably would have been fine ordering the platter for 2. The food had a nice kick to it and was spicier than I expected! The textures were all well balanced and made for a satisfying meal to end the weekend.

Solid northern Ethiopian food. Friendly staff, fast service and the food is fresh and flavorful. I got the shrimp and hubby got the vegetarian platter. Both were very good. The portion is pretty big so you may get 2 meals out of it. Also it's on the spicy side.

The place serves good Ethiopian food, and it's a great spot for vegetarians. The injera bread (a sour, fermented flatbread - more delicious than it sounds!) is served on the side probably because of COVID. Normally there's a layer underneath all the yummy goodness. For a group of four, we ordered the Vegetarian Platter for 3 + a meat entree. It was the perfect amount, and they provide just enough injera that we didn't have any left to take home. The staff is so friendly. It seems to be a family establishment. While we were there, someone struck up a traditional instrument and serenaded us. They have opened indoor dining for now, but takeout seemed to be the most popular option.

Alhamdulliah amazing!!. Very cozy environment & friendly staff. Fresh food of the ethiopian spices . Parking is a pain but it was nice taking alittle walk. . 10/10. Would definitely Recommend.

A classic burger restaurant right in the heart of San Francisco, height district.

Great vegetarian combo for one ($15). The injera for to go is not enough to use for everything for me. I would have had to order an extra side of injera. I prefer to dine in rather than to go.

Awesome Family run Ethiopian restaurant! Great food and service beautiful area. Treated our team well priced well. Thank you

I have run and walked by this staple on Haight literally hundreds of times and only finally dined in tonight. What an oversight. Amazingly flavorful Ethiopian served by a friendly staff. The seasoning on every protein and every vegetable dish was outstanding. I had that moment when all the injera suddenly expands in your belly and you think to yourself in a panic, "OOPS - I shoulda stopped and taken a break there." Best new/old place in my rotation now! Get the spicy stuff, get the lamb, get the veggies!

Menu needs to be updated (QR code) a few things were not available that were listed there. The spice point is a little bit higher than other places. Veggie combo is smaller than Ethiopian cafe. In fact I recommend that place on Mission street over this one. Service was friendly.and no none sense.

This is hands down one of the best restaurants in SF! Absolute hidden gem. Definitely the best Ethiopian food I've ever had! The family that owns this restaurant is incredibly kind and welcoming! You can't go wrong here.

Story...I moved to San Francisco in 2000. The dot com bubble had burst and everyone asked me "You're moving here NOW?" Razor scooters were new and the internet was still young. I lived on Webster Street and we used to crave healthy clean food. We would go over here and the owner/chef not even knowing our names treated us like family!! She would motion for us to go sit down, and bring out plate after plate of mind blowing stuff!! I have nothing but love and respect for this woman and her her cuisine. It's been a while since I strolled in here but I will make a visit next time in SF. So dope.

I've been going to Axum since I would spend my college summer in San Francisco 20 years ago and have always been welcomed by the family who owns the place and love the food. The the Veggie combo that comes with yummy mushroom dish (which typically other places do not include in the combo meal). Spiced right, friendly service and a great laid back neighborhood feel, this place is solid and authentic.

A great Ethiopian spot! Love the tsibie fish and veggie platter! I have been coming to the place for years and it's one of my go to places!!!

Excellent all around! We had the Veggie Plate and Tibsie Fish + appetizer. Very delectable. Service was spot-on also. We will be back for more.

So happy they're open again! Just when I moved a block away they happened to close for renovation. Two months or so of renovation went to three months to five to six until I had given up on them opening again. I've seen it happen so many times that what was perhaps intended to be a short closure for renovation turns into eventual permanent closure. Their reopening was bittersweet as once it had reopened I had already moved away but I've come back three times still. First time was great, second time felt a bit off, and third time felt like a settled middle ground of the two other times. It felt like they were trying to figure out prices and portions and they've settled back in somewhat of a sweet spot. Their vegetarian combo is great and very reasonably priced. I believe it comes out to a little more than $12 a person. I usually like to add something else but I did realize that just ordering the vegetarian combo could be filling enough. I'm a bit torn about them not putting injera under the food. I love eating the injera after all the juices have soaked in but others may not so that makes sense if it had gone to waste. What didn't really work was them putting food directly on a metal platter but they've since switched to either a porcelain or just plastic plate. Like I said, third times a charm.

Pretty sure we order Ethiopian at least every two weeks... and it's usually from Axum. In the past year, their quality has improved~ the spinach is cooked with more texture (they use to have it more blended which I didn't like), and their kitfo is always solid. I use to order extra injera, but now the amount is enough. We always get the veggie platter for two and kitfo, but we always have leftovers for lunches. I love their lentils ~ Axum is definitely one of my favorites for take out because of the quantity and injera taste. We've tried others, but always end up getting Axum.

The veggie combo is delicious and always satisfying. Dining room is cozy with friendly service.

Ordered tibsie beef with injera. The beef was rubbery, fatty and smelled pretty bad, like sweat. It was greasy, drowned in oil.

Axum is the place that introduced me to Ethiopian food! I've since tried a couple of other places (because Axum was under renovation for awhile) but Axum is my favorite. I am not vegetarian but absolutely love their veggie platter. So many delicious flavors and textures. I like to get that as a healthy but super satisfying dinner. I've also had the tibsie beef and lamb and absolutely loved them. There's Ethiopian beer, which my friend and I really enjoyed. It's a wonderful family run spot, and probably my favorite restaurant in the Lower Haight!

I appreciate the way Axum has held true to that spicy habesha *kick* in their food. I'd say they stand out in that way as opposed to more toned down versions in the city. Plus their veg combo comes with mushroom wett!

Food was a bit overpriced for the amount we were given. We ordered the lamb stew and there was barely anything in the dish when we picked up the order. The veggie platter portion was also very small and some of the vegetables were undercooked. A lot of injera was provided, but a lot was leftover because there wasn't enough food to enjoy with the bread.

Go home full and happy for less than $10/person at this no frill simple Ethiopian restaurant. Three of us had difficulty finishing the vegetarian combination platter for 3; next time a platter for 2 maybe enough for 3 of us. Service was quick, since food items seemed to be pre-made, so all he had to do after taking the order was to slap 5 kinds of food on to one large pizza-size plate. Maybe not an everyday kind of food (unless you are Ethiopian), but it's nice to visit a couple times a year. Eating with hands thing is really a non-issue. Do you have to use fork and knife to eat hummus with pita bread? How about chips and salsa? Food here is similar to that.

Just reopened! Ordered our usual veggie plate. Same as ever. Nice fresh interior remodel. Nice flavors. Nice to have it back. They are working on flow so don't expect fast service right now.

Tibsie Mushrooms! Amazing dish. Everything here is delicious but this mushroom dish is phenomenal and I have yet to find it anywhere else. Love. Love. Love!

Today was my first visit to the Axum Café, the Ethiopian restaurant in the lower Haight. I have had Ethiopian food before, and it usually was very nice. But this experience night was the best. Ethiopian food is very spicy, just make sure to tell the waiter that you wanted very, very mild, if you don't like spicy. I like spicy, and so the "medium spicy" worked very well for me and my friends that I went with. The restaurant is run by a mother and son, the husband is in Ethiopia right now. I found that out by asking. What a great tasting experience, and what a lovely presentation this small family provided us with! I also like that the if Ethiopian sour-dough sponge bread was served at the side, versus being on the bottom of the meal. When it is on the bottom of the meal, it often gets a little too mushy. Great food! We ordered a variety of chicken, lamb, and finish. It was served family style on a large round platter together. We all went and washed our hands and then ate with the bread as our utensils, just like you do in many countries. ( we received proper instructions when asked). The atmosphere was cozy, it was pleasantly warm and there was a slight, nice smell of beautiful spices In the air. The selections of wine is quite nice also. This is a great place for a circle of friends, family or people who really want to "break bread" together and eat wonderful home-cooked food. Even the bread is homemade every morning. The owner told me that she buys all local products. And I believe her :-) Very reasonably priced.

this is my go to place for a quick and healthy dinner. I love their veggie combo (especially the chickpea dish). the portion is the perfect amount for one person, and since it's not cream based, you're not left feeling overly stuffed. if I'm feeling like meat, their beef is delicious. I always bring my friends here when I'm trying to get them hooked into Ethiopian food. it's a family owned business and they are all very sweet and welcoming you with a smile.

The service is very slow but the food is great. I think it's family operated and it's a small fam. I usually order the vegetarian platter plus a meat to share with a friend--this is more than enough food. My favorite part of the meals happens when injera bread becomes soaked with the sauces/stews. Also, I'm a fan of eating with my hands, a nice change on occasions. A great place to experience Ethiopian spices without breaking the bank. The atmosphere is very chill, packed with locals who frequents this place.

Veggie platter for 2 is a perfect meal to share. We've been coming here since 1994 and the quality has only improved since then. (As much as you can improve "perfect") Effortlessly Vegetarian and gluten free! I didn't see any dairy either tbh. And it is run by a very nice family, you can't go wrong with this place.

This place just reopened after being closed for a few years. My friend and I use to frequent this place quite a bit and we were excited to try it again and see the remodel. Our waitress was in slippers and couldn't describe a few dishes we asked about. The food came out with no injera bread on the bottom which is fine but not typical. The food itself was just okay. We ordered a meat dish that had the option of raw, medium or well so we ordered medium which was chewy and tuff, it was inedible. The veggie platter was fine. The veggie platter and one meat dish was about $50 total. I'm unsure if I'll be back. Assab Eritrean on Geary has a friendlier staff and the food is authentic and the place is more affordable then Axum.

Disappointed with the food's temperature, portion and presentation. 1. We both order our plates individually, we didn't have in mind a family style, but they served his dish and mine together on the same plate. 2. Ethiopian places I've been to in the past usually served the main dish over the bread, and with with 1-2 side dishes included . The meat dish at $16 just came with bread. 3. The food was cold, but the flavor was there. Will continue to walk the xtra half mile to a different place further down for my business that costs 4-6 dollars LESS and that provides a well rounded meal. Love Ethiopia and but my self and companion might not return to this place. Hope this is taken and seen as a learning post for the business.

Axum is the best thing that has happened to lunch in a long time! This is my favorite neighborhood lunch spot (and still a bit of secret...until now!) Since the remodel, Axum looks great and the food is just as good as I remembered! I absolutely love the injera (always GF), tibsie chicken and veggie combo platter. Finished with a glass of tej or a ginger beer. Delicious! Axum is an awesome family run business and a staple of the Lower Haight :)

The owner treats you like family. The food is to die for. I literally day dream about the veggie combo. It's a perma craving now that I will have for the rest of my life. Go here now!!!

I like this place--I wish they were open for lunch. Outside lunch tables would be a great addition to the neighborhood. I'm not a vegetarian but I like their vegetarian sampler. Fresh, affordable. tasty, laid-back.

Such a great spot for Ethiopian food. We got chicken Tibsie and the Veggie Combo. My bf loves to eat spicy food and the Chicken Tibs def had a good kick to it. If you can't handle spicy maybe go with a different dish. The veggie combo had 5 different dishes and the balance was perfect. The food here is super flavorful and fragrant. Both of the dishes we ordered came with injera which was so delicious and freshly made. I highly recommend Axum if you want to try something new or if you're craving some spice to life!

Been going for over 10 years. Always delicious. Laid-back atmosphere. Super kid-friendly. (They let us bring in outside food for our young kids.) Usually not too loud.

tasty tasty tasty! the vegetarian platter for two was very small and not enough to share, really. but the food is all delicious. My burning lips thank you!

Really nice veggie platter. Spicier than all the other Ethiopian places in SF and really good flavor. Friendly and very helpful service too.

Axum takeout can be grabbed from the pickup window out front. The food is well packaged and generous (enough for more than one meal). While I'm not a huge fan of Ethiopian food, I still though Axums flavor and textures were spot on. We got the yummy chicken tibsie (good for Ethiopian food beginners) and the veggie combo with a variety of veggies and unique textures. All in all a great experience can still be had at home when trying Axum ethiopian during COVID!

If you're searching on Yelp trying to decide what to eat, go for Axum Cafe! I live nearby and have dined in (pre-COVID) and ordered takeout a handful of times since COVID, and it's consistently delicious! Our go-to order for 2 people is lentil samosas, one meat dish, and one veggie platter. I can't speak to all the meat dishes, but I've had the Lamb Alicha and Tibsie Beef and both are great! Best of all, you get a generous side of injera to eat it with. Axum definitely deserves 4+ stars on Yelp as a local business serving great food, fair prices, and friendly service! (I'm usually kinda snobby about only picking places with 4+ star reviews... I wouldn't let it deter you from ordering from here.

There's something for everyone here. Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike can cavort at the same table and all leave feeling satisfied. It's a block from my house, why am I not here more? Oh, maybe because Ethiopian for one seems a little...I dunno, S A D?!

We ordered the vegetarian plate and samosas. This is the best Ethiopian food we have ever eaten. Amazing flavors and textures. Our bodies are humming after such a beautiful meal. We will be back again and again.

This is a quaint hole in the wall with good food and great service. Is it the most amazing Ethiopian you've ever tasted? Probably not. But it is consistently good. There is not wait. You can always get a table and a friendly server. They recently remodeled the whole place, a necessary refresh. The price is right and there's no muss or fuss. For a simple, quiet, easy spot to meet your friends, this is it.

I am so excited that the doors are open once more! We had dinner here tonight, and it was so great to see the Berhe family. The renovations look great, and they were able to maintain the intimate feeling of dining in their home. The food was delicious as ever. The menu items were a few dollars more than before the renovations but remain very reasonable. I am so happy to have them back as a regular stop in our neighborhood!