Bahel Ethiopian Restaurant

Came here with my coworkers for lunch. This was my first time having Ethiopian food. The food was already ordered when I arrived. The collard greens and lamb were my favorite. It was fun to learn more about the culture and how it relates to its food. I would like to come back to try some other things on the menu I.

Nice casual eating area. Handwashing sink outside of bathroom which was very nice to clean hands before eating with them Ordered the veggie platter with ribeye tibs. The red lentils were very good. The only item that had spice to it. The rest were very mild. The yellow lentils were not cooked sufficiently. The greens were good but a bit on the colder side and would benefit from more spice. The salad is what killed it for me. Italian dressing on a salad in an Ethiopian restaurant?!!? Threw my tastebuds off and set the overall feeling of the meal. The tins were good but nothing to really make them standout. Too mild and too little of a serving for $15 on top of the veggie sampler. Finally the injera was just okay usually served warm, it was quite chilled and the flavor wasn't on point. Will it do in a pinch? Maybe. But I'm not inclined to try again. Recommendations if the rest of your group is dead set on going here, try to talk them into the other option a stone's throw away. If you're still unsuccessful do the following: 1. Ask for no dressing on salad if what you order comes with one. Lemon juice would've been 1000x better than Italian. 2. Order Dereq tins instead of the ribeye. And ask for it to be spicy (to whatever level you prefer), if you let them choose and you look like me they'll give you something with very little spice. 3. Order the rest of your meal to a specified spice level. Again the default I was served was too bland. 4. Ask for chili/spice on the side so you can dr it up. 5. Don't set your expectations too high and you won't be disappointed. 6. Treat the staff with kindness. They were cheerful and attentive despite the deficiencies I experienced with the fare.

Small space, a few booth tables, two larger party tables and about 3-4 small two top tables. They grilled some meat and veggies, smells a bit like fajita at a Tex Mex spot. More seating in the back. Ordered one vegetarian combo, chicken tibs, sambusa, a side order of red lentils and a side order of yellow lentil and an extra side of injera. They don't have a lot of lentil options here. Ended up getting two more sides of the red lentil and the yellow lentils. $51 The incense is a bit intense for such a small space. The sambusa is super hot, filled with lentils. The wonton is nice and thin and super crispy too. It's good. The sauce is different and spicy too. The red lentil is good, the yellow tastes decent, but the lentil is a bit hard. The cabbage, green beans, collard green and the salad were just okay. The salad dressing is an Italian. The service was good.

Came back again and tried the Goden Tibs which was new to us - absolutely loved!! beef short rib was grilled and seasoned to perfection, highly recommend!

This restaurant has completely bad service. From the owner to the food, it is completely unsatisfactory due to its inability to meet legal standards. If anyone ever goes here, just call DHHS, there is something that is not going on correct. Upscaling and upselling for purposes of shitty food.

Great food, amazing coffee and lovely staff. The mushroom tibs is a must, coming back whenever I visit Atlanta.

Yummy! The ambiance is the "most authentic" Ethiopian experience, beautiful decor and a very chill vibe. The service was smooth and quick. Now, the most important thing, the food! Very flavorful dishes. My guy and I shared the vegetarian platter and Fish Tips (tilapia). Highly recommend for an off the beaten path, Ethiopian restaurant.

Ethiopian food is some of the best food I've had. Everything is made to order, so allow enough time for your food to be cooked fresh. The service was great. We started with the Lentil Sambusa. They were filled with lentils, some mashed, some held their shape. Overall, it was an amazing texture. Next we ordered the Special Kitfo, and the Vegetarian Combo. The minced ground beef in the special kitfo can be ordered raw - well. We ordered medium raw, but it was pretty raw. It was a new experience to eat beef that way, but we both enjoyed it. Every item on the vegetarian combo was a ten out of ten. It's impossible to pick a favorite. And where have the cheeses been all of my life?!? This was a great experience, and I'm excited to go back and explore more of the menu.

After a recommendation from an Ethiopian gentleman to try this place instead of Desta, we've never looked back. Desta is good, but it's not Bahel. We come here almost weekly.

As a long time supporter of across the street.....this is a tough one! This food is AMAZINGGGGGGG and since I first tried it 2 months ago, I have been back 3x. I feel like such a cheater LOL. The restaurant has seating up front or in the back for bigger tables in a really dope Ethiopian decorated room. Service was pretty good in both rooms. I had the fish tibs and tried the Shiro for the first time. Delicious. Like imprint in your brain good! The wine tastes really earthy and served in traditional bottle/glasses. Great experience, great food. Not sure I can go back to what I knew before

Ethiopian food is one of the most underrated cuisines out there, and Bahel does it right. Came by with a friend the other day and we ordered the sambusa appetizers, kitfo, dereq tibs, lamb tibs, shiro, and doro wot. Sambusa (4/5): These are kind of like Indian samosas but with a lentil filling. The shell is very light and crispy without being too greasy. The lentil filling is pretty light and the spicy dipping sauce has a nice kick. Solid starter. Kitfo (5/5): I recommend taking a leap of faith and order these raw as traditionally served. It is essentially an Ethiopian beef tartar marinaded in a fragrant spiced butter sauce served with some collard greens and a soft white cheese (similar to feta to me but not as salty). The meat is always super tender and it beats out the beef tartare I've had at French restaurants. I order this at any Ethiopian place I eat at. Dereq tibs (5/5): This dish came out sizzling like Mexican Fajitas do. The beef was charboiled and smoky with a nice crust surrounding each piece while remaining tender on the inside. It comes with perfectly grilled onions and peppers. I never had tibs taste this good and this I feel is an essential order as well, especially at Bahel. Lamb tibs (4/5): Great lamb favor with a nice marinade and tender as well. However, it was a bit on the milder side and didn't stand out as much as the kitfo and dereq tibs. Doro wot (4/5): I would describe this as Ethiopian Mole. It is a chicken stew/gravy with a slightly sweet taste to it and is also slightly spicy. Great comfort dish item to order on a cold day, but I wish they served it with 2 pieces of chicken and eggs rather than just 1 drumstick and egg (pretty much impossible to share if eating with more than 1 person). Shiro (4/5): This is like a fancy, silky refried bean (Swear I'm not intentionally trying to make comparisons to Mexican food here but for anyone who hasn't had much Ethiopian food, these comparisons are accurate!). This split pea stew has a slightly thinner consistency than refried beans and is a nice changeup from the meat dishes. Also a great dish to have during the winter time although if I could order again, I would probably go for the red beet dish instead for more texture. Injera here is as good as any and although pricier than Ethiopian food I have had in Houston, I feel it definitely has a step up in quality and is well worth it. Will definitely return here in the future.

Ethiopian food is in my top five favorite cuisines to eat because of its use of spices and this place is pretty good. My favorite spot is actually nearby where the strip clubs are located but Bahel is a nice contender. The service provided here is great and the restaurant itself is nice, with beautiful art on the walls and entertaining music videos in the background.

Food is delicious and the ambiance is peaceful and quiet. The servers are kind and food comes in a hurray. I recommend this place to all.

My first and LAST time ordering from here. I ordered takeout through an app service. I ordered the vegan special and when I opened the order, the collards had MEAT in them. Imagine my horror. I called the restaurant to talk to the owner about my order and he argued with me the whole time and said the vegan combo wasn't supposed to have meat. Exactly!! He kept arguing and seemed to insinuate I was lying so I sent him a picture (below) and claims he only saw the cabbage even though the greens and meat were front and center. He still argued with me and never offered a partial refund, thankfully the app refunded my money. The customer service is zero. The food was salty and greasy as well!! Do yourself a favor and go across the street to Desta who has much better service and food!

Such a unique experience Incredible food and even with the slower service (there was a large party in the back) we had a great time

This is authentic as it comes! I'm so glad an Ethiopian friend of mine suggested this place (he even deemed it as the most authentic Ethiopian food in Georgia) because I have never looked back since. The seasonings are off the charts and they are generous with the spice!

Really good food. The server was very nice and helped us order and showed us how to eat it properly too.

I enjoyed my visit at Bahel Ethiopian Restaurant. All of the items we ordered were delicious and brought out in perfect timing. The environment was clean and the atmosphere was very nice. I would highly recommend checking it out if in town. I Cannot wait to return.

We had a party of 3 at 7:00 pm on a Friday night. They weren't crowded. It's very casual. Service was great! Everyone who worked there was super friendly and welcoming. We split everything. The food all comes on one giant platter, so it's ideal for sharing. Here's what we got: - Vegetarian Combo ($13.99): Amazing. Comes with 6 different items, all delicious. - Lamb Tibs ($12.99): Soo good and flavorful. Great with all the items from the vegetarian combo. - Bahel Special Kitfo ($15.99): We ordered the beef medium, but it looked very raw. It came with homemade cheese and finely chopped collard greens. I wished the meat was more cooked. This wasn't my favorite. Everything comes with injera (spongy, sourdough-y flatbread) to scoop up the food. We really only needed 2 dishes. We had so much food leftover. It was all delicious though!! Bahel (pronounced BAH-hull) is a great, unassuming little restaurant in a shopping strip. Don't let the shopping center fool you! It's great food at a great price.

I stopped in here one day as desta was closed and usually my go to I tried this as a new spot and was pleasantly surprised! The food was amazing and quick and very affordable! I was surprised I was the only person in there because it was so delicious. I also had the house made lemonade which was soooo good. Really impressed me this place, will be back

The vegetarian combo was excellent and the injera was soft and fresh. The young family that owns this is very nice. Great experience. I'll be back.

Wonderful find! I love all their dishes, and the Injera is better than most places! The cafe atmosphere is cozy and the servers are very friendly and helpful

I discovered Ethiopian food last year and now I can't get enough of it. Second time visiting Bahel and it definitely won't be my last. Such a cute little place with amazing service and phenomenal food. Our go to order is always the veggie combo that comes with 5 sides and beef awaze tibs. The signature spice that they use to cook the lentils and the beef , berbere is oh so flavorful and really provides a unique taste to every dish I have eaten here. The entrees are served over a bed of injera. Injera is made from teff flour and is slightly sour. It compliments the dishes really well. Two entrees are big enough to share between three people, since it was just me and my husband we had plenty of leftovers. We always ask for their dry spice to sprinkle over the items ( it's called mitmita) and it make the dishes even more yum. I am so happy to have found this place!

It had been years since I've had Ethiopian, but my sister was coming into town and asked if I could find some here in Atlanta. Reading some reviews, my wife and I came to Bahel to "scout." What a revelation! Over two visits, we have tried a lot of the menu. There was nothing in the menu I wouldn't have again, everything was delicious. Kitfo, Goden Tibs, Fitfit are all reasons to come back. The traditional coffee service is absolutely worth the time. The coffee is rich, strong and delicious. The staff really seem to enjoy showing this off. My only complaint is the short supply of beer or wine. Despite a few other options on the menu, the only available was the traditional honey wine. We tried it and it's very sweet with some spice. I just personally don't enjoy something that sweet with a meal and would save that for after. Overall, we are very happy to broaden our horizon with this gem of a restaurant. Absolutely will be back.

I hate to write a bad review, but this wasn't very tasty. I ordered the chicken tibs which lacked flavor and didn't even look appealing, as you can see in the photo. I'm giving it 2 stars rather than 1 because it came with a good amount of injera which was pretty good. I ordered this, so I did not interact with the staff and service seems to be an issue here as well based on the other reviews. I did not read into the reviews until it was too late. Their health inspection score also is not great, which I also looked at when it was too late. I decided to try some other Ethiopian restaurants, but none have been as good as Desta across the street!

Delicious food, Otentic And the service also excellent I'm very happy better than most of Ethiopian restaurant in Atlanta

what a great place! so friendly! and it's decorated with Ethiopian art. it has beautiful lighting. on top of the great atmosphere and friendly service the food is spectacular and priced right for a lean budget.

The food is amazing! My wife and I favor the veggie plate a lot and their cappuccinos are so delicious. Besides the food being wonderful, the kind and hospitable staff who work here are so kind, helpful and are so personable. We love the ambiance, music and artwork too! We highly recommend this beautiful restaurant.

Another cuisine that I've been looking for since moving to GA In January. This place has dining in the front and the rear. The server was helpful. A friend and I tried this place. She drove from Conyers to try it. The entree is bigger than any that I have had at Ethiopian restaurants in three other states. They totally knocked it out of the park with the portion.

Much less Americanized as Desta and they have Doro Wat which is, in my opinion, the best Ethiopian dish. It's the National dish of Ethiopia so it's kind of inexplicable that Desta doesn't have it on its menu. Don't get me wrong. Desta is good. I just don't know why it is apparently more popular than Bahel when Bahel has more going for it. I guess it's about the "Americanized" thing.

Excellent flavors and quality of food. Friendly service and clean dining area. Recommend vegetarian combo. The Doro Wat chicken stew has great flavor but only came with one drumstick of meat.

I love this little place. I've only been twice and both times were during. I dined there today and had the whole place to myself. My waitress was very attentive (probably partly due to me being the only one in there), but hey, it was awesome service nonetheless. They have lunch specials which I took advantage of - I ordered the veggie platter for $7.99. I also ordered some lentil Sambusas as an appetizer. They were a little cold when I got to the middle, but I didn't feel the need to complain because my food came out very soon after. Side note - there is another Ethiopian place, Feedel located right next door(along with Desta across the street), that I also hope to try one day.

Like the vegetarian sampler at Desta but otherwise prefer to cross the street for Feedals if I'm feeling fancy or Bahel for a more grounded experience. You want to see other Ethiopian guests, not hipsters, at the next table eating firfir and fitfit. The food is good and a relaxed atmosphere that makes you feel like a regular.

I came here for lunch at the suggestion of a coworker from Ethiopia. Typically I am a die hard fan of Desta which is directly across the street. My Ethiopian coworker said she prefers the method of the food preparation and seasonings at Bahel over Desta. My friend and I split an appetizer of the fit fit and it was delicious and had bold seasoning. It was awesome! We both then ordered the vegetarian platters. The collards, the lentils, the salad and the injera bread were fresh and delicious. I really love Desta but I will say that I prefer the bolder seasoning at Bahel. The covered deck and ambiance at Desta is much nicer than the small and basic dining room at Bahel. Basically I have determined that Bahel is my choice for indoor Eritrean-Ethiopian food and Desta is my choice for patio dining. Both make me happy! Service at lunch was a little slow and our server was friendly but stretched as she was serving patrons indoors and on the small patio. I ended up going over my one hour lunch time. I recommend this place!!

No picture!! I just enjoyed the food. Veggie Combo was great... one of the better Ethiopian restaurants in the good state of Georgia.

First time trying Ethiopian food, excellent service and great new flavors, I even dreamt about the food afterwards I'm ready to go back for more!!

Food was subpar and the service was terrible. The decor in the restaurant was beautiful but that's the only positive thing I have to say.

Wanted to support this business and opted to come here rather than the same Ethiopian restaurant I've been patroning since 2013. Unfortunately, the hours posted on Yelp and Google are incorrect as they were not open at 11:00 AM on a Monday. I went back across the street. I will come back and give it a shot.

I am happy to say that I have finally eaten Ethiopian food! We really wanted to have a dine-in experience and since Bahel has outdoor seating, we felt most comfortable here. It was a hot day, so steaming hot Ethiopian food might not have been the move, but it was certainly enjoyable! The food was good! The flavors are so interesting and you could tell it was created fresh. We started with the sambusas, which was similar to an Indian samosa. The lentils inside were cooked really nicely, but still whole! Our server helped us decide what to get, and warned us that we might be choosing something too authentic for first timers. We got the fitko and a chicken dish. It was so fun to eat and communal. I love sharing food with my friends, so this was a good place for us. The service was slow, but very kind. We were there for almost two hours and spent a lot of time waiting to order, then a lot of time waiting for our food. I know good things take time, but when we arrived there weren't many others there. I think a good PRO TIP might be to call in your order before your arrival! The other outdoor table arrived after us and had called in their order, so they received theirs almost 15 minutes before we did! Next time, I will definitely call in advance, even if I'm planning to dine in.

Absolutely authenticity delicious! I'm so satisfied and impressed from the simplicity and closeness of the meals. Please check this place out.

Desiring Ethiopian food for date night, we stumbled upon Bahel, after another restaurant had a long wait. Luckily, Bahel was in the same area. This is not to discredit Bahel. We looked at the Yelp reviews in the car before visiting and the pictures made the food appear delicious. Atmosphere: When we arrived, the restaurant was EMPTY. Complete opposite to what we had just witnessed at the previous restaurant. This was a good sign, because I knew our food shouldn't take long to come out. The restaurant was rather small, but had enough tables. I also like the fact that each table has a bottle of hand sanitizer. I wouldn't learn until later that this is mainly due to eating with your hands. It was a new experience for me. I love experiencing different cultures. The Food: So, there were two different meals I wanted. It was between the Short Ribs and the Beef Awaze Tibs. After asking the waiter, he recommended the Beef Awaze Tibs ($12.99), so that's what I went with. My fiancée got the Chicken Awaze Tibs ($11.99). We basically split both and they were very good! Not as spicy as I thought they would be, although I love spicy. The chicken was slightly spicier than the Beef, though. * We also ordered Sambusa ($2.99). I didn't know what this was, so I hesitantly took a bite. It's not bad. I'm not a fan of beans, so that took me out but it wasn't bad. Overall, my experience at Bahel was pretty good. I love randomly stumbling upon new places. I'm sure I'll be back to try those Short Ribs.

Food - 9 Service - 5 I visited here with a friend, super excited to have some ethiopian food and I'll say I was not disappointed! The food was v delicious and so hearty. However - the service was sooooo slow. So sad to say it. We waited almost 20 minutes to place our order, and then another 60 minutes simply to receive it!! we were so so hungry by the time the food finally arrived, I don't think we were even able to enjoy it to it's fullest potential. They have a few seats inside, but we opted to sit at one of two of their outdoor seats since the weather was nice. I would 100% go again, but I would consider calling in an order to go.

Best Ethiopian I've had in Atlanta This small restaurant sits across the street from its top competitor Desta, on Briarcliff Road near the Clairmont Road intersection. There are several Ethiopian eateries and hookah lounges located in this small strip next to the pizza place, so you have to look for the metal chairs and sign to find it. Once you arrive you won't be disappointed. We came here seeking a Desta alternative and were surprised to find how incredibly flavored this food is. We were so wowed that the waitress brought the Chef Owner out to meet us. The owner described how her mother came from Ethiopia to teach the restaurant staff her recipes and how she travels every three years to bring them spices and to "check in" on the cooking. I had the veggie plate; caramelized candy like carrots, buttered garlic greens, a European style oil and vinegar green salad, smoky split peas, and lightly spiced red lentils. Others in my party preferred the salmon here over Desta. HOW THEY DIFFER FROM DESTA Flavor! If I had to describe it best- Desta seems to cook for the masses. The owner here cooks like it's her home kitchen. Deep flavors, light in oil, and lots of different seasoning. Be Patient, the dishes don't come out super fast, but it's well worth the wait. I came during lunch hour but I did see the signs up for 4pm wine and beer happy hour.

When the servers of the popular Ethiopian across the street recommend that you try Bahel then that is an assurance of its greatness. A simple small but cozy seating area can house four or five small tables. We were interested in the spicy chicken stew called Doro Wet. It is an explosion of addicting flavors that traditionally takes hours to cook. It is served on a bed layered with ingera which is the Ethiopian spongy flat sour bread. The owner chef made sure to visit every table. She has a charming personality that adds to the pleasant atmosphere. She also suggested additional dishes and warned about the over ordering of food. I will make sure to revisit every time I am in Atlanta.

The place has huge space but Very slow service with not enough option for the vegi platter dish. Quality of meat was not good. Will not be returning again.

"Better an egg this year than a chicken next year." Ethiopian Proverb "Better to walk across the street to Bahel then wait 45 minutes to be seated at Desta" Lou's Proverb Having waited many times for a table at Desta, it's fair to say I'm a fan of the restaurant. There comes a moment though, when one begins to question oneself about the wisdom of waiting in a parking lot to give someone else your money. This was my moment. From said parking lot, a sign for Bahel Ethiopian restaurant could be seen. Curiosity and a stated twenty minute wait to kill prompted me to walk across the street. Walking in, i was greeted with a smile, not a request for a cell phone number to text me when a table is ready. After taking a seat the menu was quickly brought out. Thirty minutes later I found myself loosening my belt after a fantastic veggie combo with way too much injera bread (that was quickly refilled (as opposed to neighboring restaurant). While not as cool to be seen in, The food was delicious.and as good as it gets in the Atlanta Ethiopian scene. Forty minutes later and after paying the bill and walking out satisfied, I got a text message. "Your table is ready" If you're in the area do the Bahel test instead of waiting in line. Bahel is now my first pick when on that corner of Briarcliff.

This restaurant was a modest restaurant in a strip mall. We ordered a vegetarian combo. It had a Thai salad, greens, green beans, red beans that were a bit spicy, yellow, split peas, and the usual rolled Teff bread. We enjoyed every bit of it. There was enough to share. The restaurant was filled with people inside and outside but we did not have to wait to get a table. Our server was very helpful. Would definitely come back. There was a vegan restaurant next-door, and Indian a few doors down and another Ethiopian across the street. We want to explore the area next time.

Consistently good, nice staff, and great ambience. Similar taste and quality to Desta with a more low-key vibe.

Bahel is located amongst quite a few other Ethiopian restaurants that I love. We wanted to give this one a shot, as the other 2 restaurants were closed (Desta and Fidel bistro....both delicious ). We were the only party there (2) which was fine. I ordered the Short rib tibs, and my boyfriend ordered the vegetarian combo with chicken. First things first, the water tasted like spoiled milk, we ended up asking for bottled water. Then our food came. Looked delicious, was cooked well but my short ribs had ABSOLUTELY NO FLAVOR. Like not even a sprinkle of salt. I couldn't finish it. My boyfriend's chicken was good...but not sure if it was actually good or just good compared to my tasteless food. Other than the quality of the food, we sat in the back of the restaurant, and the staff was in the front talking SO LOUD amongst each other. Like unreasonably loud. I'm not sure if we just had a bad experience or if this is all normal but we will not be returning. Desta (across the street) and Fidel bistro (right next door) we're both so delicious. I'd highly recommend either of those.

I tried ethiopian food for the first time here and it's worth going back! There's plenty of free parking. I came here for lunch and it was not busy at all, by my friend did say that it gets packed around dinner time. The prices are pretty normal, I would compare it to the prices of Indian food (around $10-$14). I would go back here for sure!