Blue Nile

A friend told me to try this place. I’ve been vegan for a little while now and a lot of their menu (and Ethiopian food in general from what I understand) is either vegan or vegetarian and you can have it with meat by choice. I took my kids so they had the meat with greens dish, one lamb, one chicken and one beef. I had two vegan plates and the appetizer I’m just forgetting the names right now (see pictures). Everything had so much flavor and tasted super fresh. The spices and flavors were great, the owners are very nice and the environment is really chill. I will be going back here every time I’m in Oakland. To the owners, thank you so much for the food, suggestions and the hospitality. They made it through the pandemic but people should really support this place.

Man I have a passion for Ethiopian food. First time at this location. Greeted by two women who here attentive and welcoming. Ordered the chicken tibbs. Very spicy 🔥 but very good. Parking is not ideal . Restaurant had nice murals. Lots of injera which I love.

Absolutely enjoyed my lunch! They are vegetarian friendly with menu options specifically for vegetarians. Thought it was just a small place in downtown oakland but great ambience and the food was absolutely delish. There's a nice culture aspect here with seating i think Ethiopians use. Beautiful paintings and service was lovely. I tried the telba, quite skeptically, but it was so yummy. A sweet drink for a sweet tooth! I also got the Mir combo.

My hidden neighborhood gem. I come here quite often because the meals are Fresh, Flavorful, Consistent, and Filling. For my needs (usually seeking quiet dining for things like getting work done), the atmosphere is conducive and provides outlets and a wi-fi connection (if you ask). The service is friendly with a family vibe (like eating at an aunts or a grandma's house) so I wouldn't expect to necessarily be waited on hand and food like other restaurant experiences. Let me also mention that the price is beyond reasonable for the offering.

Love the place! The cultural elements are spread throughout the whole restaurant and makes up for great decoration. The food was amazing! However, some spots on the floor weren't as clean, surely was a lack of cleaning after clients. There are also some flies around which disturbed me a lot.

Great place to order take-out, but you can also be the only people dining inside (wink, wink). Remember to keep your masks on whenever the server arrives & tip generously.

Great food! Nice service! My first time at an Ethiopian restaurant. Beef and mushrooms were tasty. Samboosa (sp?) were so good.

Blue Nile was my first taste of Ethiopian food, and I'm glad I tried it! The Meat Combo Platter was a hit! The Doro Wot, a traditional chicken stew with its rich and spicy sauce, was a standout, perfectly showcasing the bold flavors of Ethiopian cuisine. The Alicha Yeb'ge, a mild lamb stew, offered a delightful contrast with its aromatic blend of spices. And the Beef Bamia, with its tender beef simmered alongside okra and tomatoes, was a savory delight. The only hiccup was the slow service during lunchtime. We were the only ones eating inside, and it took a while for the server to bring water and menus. Plus, we waited another 30 minutes for our food. They could work on being quicker and more attentive. But despite that, Blue Nile is a great spot to explore Ethiopian flavors.

Delicious food. Attentive team. Exciting eating experience. Blue Nile is authentic to the core and presents an opportunity for escape through cuisine. The food is simply heartwarming - stewed meats and vegetables, paired with tender curried potatoes and Injura. It's an unforgetable dining experience.

such a pleasant late lunch. large portions and kind staff. it's a very small, this place deserves more popularity! the ambiance is really there, from the decor to the incense.

First time here, service was kind and lovely. Food was absolutely delicious, we ordered the Meat and Vegan combo for 2 and it was plenty of food. The restaurant itself is cute, the bathroom was clean and neat like everything else there. Will be back!

A friend and I went here on a Monday morning and for some reason service took forever. Not to mention the food was not impressive at all. I would not return.

We are returning customers who came back here because of the golden tibs, which is their signature dish. When we showed up, we were the only customers and remained the only customers until 1 hour later. The golden tibs took 40 mins to arrive, which time it takes to cook. However, it was extremely chewy, tasteless, and seemed old. Extremely disappointing. Luckily, my friend is Ethiopian and was able to communicate the message that we shouldn't pay for the meat and the waitress agreed to not charge us for it. Unfortunately we wouldn't be returning ever again,

I had jury duty today in Oakland and discovered Blue Nile Ethiopian. The Vegan combo platter was absolutely delicious, and I especially loved their injera - I even ordered extra to take home. The young lady working at the restaurant was incredibly kind and helpful.

Wow - this was some of the best Ethiopian food I've had. This is a cozy spot near Lake Merritt. The service was great and the food was phenomenal. The portion sizes aren't huge - no leftovers - but the food was so good, we didn't mind. :) I'll definitely be back to try other items on the menu.

Being in this area by the Lake is really a city gal's dream. There are plenty of bars, coffee shops, and restaurants. I've been coming here since they opened and I remember when I was waiting for it to open. I wanted really good Ethiopian food near me, and this fit the bill. My best friend and I came here a bunch of times back in 2018, and being back in the area I had to try this with my boyfriend. He never had Ethiopian food! When I first tried Ethiopian food I was 17 in Reno. The injera was new and I loved the flavor. It was the fork and the spoon of the Meat Platter for 2, and the lamb was so delicious. As you can see from my pictures our plate was cleaned. I also love that there are many vegetarian options as well. I'm ambitious in the kitchen and like to remake foods that I like from different cultures. Injera takes between 72-96 hours to make, and the meats are traditionally marinated for about 48 hours from what I've read and have asked about at local stores that are East African owned. When I finally remake doro wat, lamb, mushrooms & beef and injera I hope it all tastes like this. Give this local business a try.

Only giving a 3 star because location is sketchy and we were the only people eating in the restaurant. Food was pretty tasty. Not the best Ethiopian we've had but it definitely satisfied our craving. If the restaurant was in a better area, we may be more inclined to go more often.

Solid Ethiopian food in walking distance from Bart! It was so delicious and packed full of flavor. You can't go wrong with any of the choices here! I loved eating up every last bit with the injera. Now I know a great go-to near Lake Merritt whenever I'm craving Ethiopian food in the area!

Blue Nile is another favorite spot of mine in the neighborhood. They have all of the classic Ethiopian dishes you would expect, in a warm and welcoming environment. I went with one friend for dinner and we split the meat and vegan combo platter. It's served on a large piece of injera with a variety of different meats (chicken, beef, lamb) and some very tasty vegetable dishes. It was perfect to split between two people and you may have some leftovers to take home. I'd also recommend trying out the Ethiopian beer!

Blue Nile Ethiopian has a small dining area inside. despite what's posted on website, there's no inside nor outside dining available. offerings: big menu of the usual. eats: "Vegan Mushroom Combo: Mushroom, KIk Alicha, Atalkit, Gomen w/ side salad & Buticha" (& injera bread) ($16) -split peas, collard greens, mushrooms, red lentil, organic chickpea house made huumus. -fresh, tasty, not a lot of heat (luckily) -injera tasted sour but that's from the fermenting process. it's also a low calorie carb. win-win!

I got to grab some dinner to go here after furniture shopping. While I was shopping I came here on Yelp and ordered through the app/grub hub. The ordering process was so easy and seamless. The food was ready on time and was an easy pick up. They would meet you at the door and bring your food to the table set up by the door. I was in and out under 60 seconds. Now, when I got home and got to taste the food. I could honestly say my tummy was happy. This is definitely a solid place to get ethiopian food. I had a vegetarian combination. The food was plenty and had the right amount of each dish. Overall, I was really happy with this spot and would definitely come back again.

I decided to come back and order takeout via the phone. Since the restaurant said that one entree would not be enough food for two people, we added a meat combo (chicken) to what was originally just going to be a shiro combo order. The food was ready on time when we got there based on their 15-20 minute pickup time estimate, but it seemed like they might've misheard over the phone and thought we ordered a veggie combo since one of the workers, when hearing us say we were here to pick up a shiro combo, went and took one of the boxes and disappeared into the kitchen for a minute or two before coming back. The food itself was pretty good; I think the ratio of injera to dishes was well estimated as I didn't end up running out of injera or having too much injera left over. I would agree that the portions are about right for one meal for one person and are not adequate to share between two or more people, unfortunately. So that is something to keep in mind since although their prices are not super expensive, the portion of food is probably somewhat smaller than some of the other Ethiopian restaurants in the area I've been to which have higher prices.

Delicious food. Tried the veggie and meat combo at Blue Nile and it was super enjoyable. Each dish had a distinct and very enjoyable flavor. I'm getting hungry just reminiscing! Service was friendly. Restaurant was mostly empty on a weeknight. I also highly recommend their homemade honey wine. It was refreshing and very tasty. Will definitely satisfy your Ethiopian food craving!

We rate this a Go: I've only had Ethiopian good on 3 occasions. One time in Berkeley, someplace, it was pre-Yelp, once in South Africa, and here. I can't judge the authenticity of the decorations but the food was just like what I had in South Africa ... one country away from Ethiopia. So for me, that the standard. And who doesn't like eating with their fingers!

The owner was extremely kind when we got there close to closing time. We never tried Ethiopian food and she recommended the meat and veggie mixed platter. We got it to go, came out in like 10 minutes!!! Everything tasted super fresh, very flavourful. The taste was so hard to explain but so different than anything we've tried before. A friend recommended this place to us and we're glad she did! Would go again for sure and dine in for a more comprehensive review!

We stopped here after going to the Oakland Museum of California with the kids and we all loved it! My son, who is a very picky eater, absolutely loved the Doro Tips (chicken) and so did we! We will definitely be back.

Great food. Shared the combination plate...so delicious. Service was fantastic . Family run business. Will definitely be back.

Best injera I ever had. The ordering is simple during COVID, even on the day ordering for Enkutatash. There were meter parking on the side of the road (free after 6pm). Be prepare to pay 20% tip during pickup as that's the first box to check as option. The injera is packaged with the combo plate, so I like that it is used to soak up the juices that we're going to flow out from the meat. That said, the injera is not as dry to eat with hands if you order it for eating at work.

Full disclosure - my teeth have been hurting because my ortho gave me braces (after trying Invisalign for a year+) and I needed something that was soft enough for me to eat that didn't compromise in flavor... My heart led me to Blue Nile. Ethiopian is one of my top three cuisines, but unfortunately there is none in the 707. So I made it a mission to visit here this weekend. I called to place an order and pick up was seamless. I ordered the veggie combo and awaze tibs with extra injera (I can eat this bread by itself as a meal, if needed haha.). Anyway, got home and shared some with my Mom. We both enjoyed it; the red lentils being our favorite. Bonding over food is always an enjoyable experience. The injera was a bit more thick (towards the center), which I'm not complaining because the chewiness and sourness of it was really satiating my palette! Mmmm, AND I have enough for leftovers... I also got an extra order of injera ($2) in case I decide to snack on some on the way home. Haha. See yall next time! xo

Great food, friendly staff. Peaceful surroundings. The courtyard is very relaxing.

Great food. I tried the vegetarian platter and it was delicious and had a very colorful presentation!

This was my first time having Ethiopian food and I liked the inejera and all the different tibs we got to eat with it! The inejera is a bit sour and not all of us liked it but personally I liked it. Pros: big platters were convenient for big groups, good spice level, lot of meat and veggie options, prices were reasonable Cons: hard to get meat off of bone and not too many drink options

My friend ordered me take out from this place and it was amazing. It's probably one of my favorite Ethiopian places in the Bay Area! I love the chicken one which was called the Doro Tibs and the beef dish. Both were packed with flavors. My most fav was the Vegetarian Combo, which consist of lentials, split peas, collard greens and tomato firfir. I honestly didn't wanna share this plate. They are very generous when it comes to portions and they have plenty of spices in their dishes. Hope to visit them one day in person, if not my friend will have to continue with their delivery to me.

So, it's been a minute since I've had Ethiopian food and I've really missed it. One of my favorites was Massawa in San Francisco and the Blue NIle in Berkeley. Last night we just had to have some yummy Ethiopian and chose this Blue Nile based on the reviews. I had high hopes, but it didn't quite pan out. First off it was a Saturday night and it was nearly empty, never a good sign, and when our party of 6 sat down there were large (cigarette or cigar?) burn marks on the table, the bench I sat in had me at chest height with the table-like a child at a restaurant..LOL Anyway, the menu seemed like there were a lot of options and we forged ahead. For our appetizer we chose the buticha, which I have had a cafe Romnat (and it was DELICIOUS), but here it wasjust sour and not good. For our entrees we at family style and had: the Ethiopian vegetarian combo, the Siga beef tibs, Doro chicken tibs and the Shira vegan combo. First off let me say that the beef had a really nice flavor, but the actual chunks of beef were full of cartilidge and connective tissue-they were not chunks of beef, more like off cuts containing thick gristle that cannot be chewed and cartiledge. Again the beef had a nice flavor to the sauce, but the beef itself was gross. The vegetarian dishes really didn't distinguish themselves from one another at all, everything was kind of one note and not very flavorful. The enjera was tasteless, not that it is the supposed to be a flavorful bread, but it was just lacking and overly sour. Lastly the Doro chicken tibs were really good, everyone at the table liked it and was happy with that choice. All in all, I don't think that I would go back. The service was fine, the dining accommodations could be better, but if the food is good I can overlook that...unfortunately the food was not good enough to have to eat at a table that is at my chest and pull chunks of thick connective tissue out of my mouth when taking a bite of the beef dish...Sorry Blue Nile, I really wanted to like your spot, but it just didn't work out.

Great ambience for a date night. Excellent freshly prepared food. Prompt and friendly customer service. Support your local family owned restaurants. Highly recommended!

Stopped by for late lunch and I absolutely love Ethiopian food!! Really liked the ambience of this place as well. Definitely recommend if ur looking to try out Ethiopian food!!

I am obsessed with this place. So close to my apartment with great service and food! The ambiance is so amazing too I had my friends from Hayward come to Oakland to try it out. Thanks!

Excellent quality. Really nice people. I had berber spiced eggs and some stewed chicken that was yummy.

My first experience with Blue Nile was 2 days before their grand opening day. I was walking down 14th St in the evening as they were beginning to prep, and the exotic spice scent drew me down the sidewalk like a magnet. I spoke briefly to the owner who allowed me to peer inside and take a look at what used to be an old Subway sandwich shop. It was unrecognizable from the old space, with rich, vibrant colors popping out over more muted tiles. It made it feel like a different world from the street. I was out of town on their grand opening day, but returned as soon as possible to try the food. It surpassed my expectations and was worth the wait. So flavorful! We shared the Bozeno Shiro and the Ye'beg Tibs, and both were wonderful. I appreciated the way the food was served in small pots placed over a bed on Injera instead of being ladled directly over the Injera. This preserved the integrity of the bread while we ate. There are other popular Ethiopian restaurants in Oakland, but Blue Nile will be my new go-to from now on.

I still think about the beef tibs days after having it!! Everything was well seasoned and tasted great. We ordered the Alicha Ye'beg wot (lamb) and Siga (Beef) Tibs; the beef dish was a bit spicy and the lamb dish was pretty mild! Our entrees came with yellow peas and potatoes and carrots, which was great because I wanted to have some vegetables :o). The service was nice too, I think there's only one server and although the place was small the server did a great job tending to all tables. Will definitely come back.

Great little spot by the Oakland Main Library, a place I lived before the 'Rona hit. Blue Nile Ethiopian welcomed my stomach and me with a large portion of the Blue Nile Special Goden Tibs, by far the highlight of my meal. The spices are rich and the meat tender. That injera (flatbread) will fill you real fast, so be careful. Look, here is the bottom line: support this local business and in return, that food will feel and taste like you were in the dining room, eating with the cooks as if they were your own family.

My friend and I got the combo and it was full of flavor and filling. It was my first time trying Ethiopian food and it was a great experience. The portion size was just right and the restaurant gave us extra hot sauce upon request. The beef, lamb, and chicken were lean but juicy and full of spices and flavors. The red lentils still had a bite to it and the yellow peas had a subtle level of flavor. The collar greens was a nice touch. My friend really enjoyed the potato's and carrot and didn't want to share. She's lucky that I love her or whatever :P

Came here for my Valentines dinner date and we had a nice time! We shared two vegetarian dishes and each had a glass of honey wine. Apologies for the lack of detail in this review, I cannot remember what we ordered exactly. But both were very good. I chose this place because of their gluten free Injera. It tasted amazing and fit my dates dietary restrictions. The honey wine was more acidic than I'm used to, it wasn't bad but I've enjoyed other restaurants' more. Quick service, friendly staff! We went at 5:30 but it filled up after 6.

Place is really cool atmosphere and honestly very third eye unlocking and I love how they have flashing lights and reasonably priced food honestly drank vary from 3-6$ alll of the above is provided from hot cocoa, Ethiopian beer, blue Nile homemade tej glass which is wine from the motherlands.

I visited Blue Nile Ethiopian restaurant for lunch one afternoon during the week. The restaurant was absolutely beautiful, full of murals, culture and detail. The restaurant was also clean and spacious. The service was fast, friendly and helpful. I arrived a little after the restaurant opened and was able to grab a seat to the side of the restaurant. I ordered the Meat Combo Platter (Dorowat, Lamb, & Mushrooms, with Beef with Side Salad & Buticha), added Collard Greens and a Ginger Beer. Everything was tasty and brought out quickly. The food was not served hot, but more room temperature. The only issue I had was the two gentlemen who were visiting the restaurant while I was there. They ordered a large portion of food to share, made sour faces at it, took pictures of it, took nibbles and left. This was the most annoying and disheartening thing to see. PLEASE if you go to a restaurant you have never been to before to try something you've never had ask questions of the staff before ordering, go in with an open mind not with the intention of using someones culture to post to your social media to look trendy or cool. Watching the server question if there was anything wrong with the food and having to clean the table after they left was the worst. I loved everything I had had a Blue Nile and will definitely be going back.

Disappointed that this was just average. Tried their veggie and meat combo. The dishes came out rather quick but lacked flavor and spices that one would normally associate with Ethiopian food. Given all of the different options for Ethiopian restaurants in the area, it'd be difficult to justify a repeat visit.

This review is mostly for the Shiro! This restaurant is casual and when I went they were playing Ethiopian music videos which was fun. The menu is pretty standard but they have gluten free injera which is great for our gluten free friends, but personally I prefer the taste of the standard injera. The staff are very friendly and kind, but the food I found to be just ok. I got the veggie combo, many of the lentil and split pea dishes were a little bland, and then I got the doro tibs (sautéed chicken dish) which was a little dry and not as flavorful as I'd like but I also get the Shiro which was phenomenal! It was by far the best Shiro I've ever had, it's a puréed chickpea dish which has delicious spices and flavors. One of the staff members let us know they make this dish in house with a special family recipe, so it is definitely worth coming here for!

Very enjoyable food would recommend i oredred a fish tibs to go and it was abousletley perfect, the spice the , temperature the price was decent prob #1 ethiopian restraunts in oakland

The food portions is exceptionally small especially relative to the prices. Two of us had dinner there, and we are generally considered slim. We ordered 3 main dishes because I wanted to save the extra for lunch the next day. We finished all three but we were not satiated. I was disappointed to say the least. The service was good and the food quality was authentic and decent; however, given the highly disappointing portions and the thankfully other Ethiopian restaurants in and around Oakland and San Francisco, I wouldn't come back here again and would recommend you try another place first. It's kind of unfortunate in that food material is likely their least expense compared to rent and marketing/customer retention. But it seems the owners prefer to skimp on food and not care about repeat business.

I stopped in to Blue Nile for a casual dinner with a friend. I had been craving Ethiopian for a while, but had trouble recruiting someone to accompany me since not everyone is familiar with Ethiopian food or willing to try. I visited Ethiopia a couple years ago and fell in love with the sponge-like bread, injera, and flavorful vegetarian dishes, so I was looking forward to trying out Blue Nile. The aesthetic of the restaurant is much more casual than I expected but parking was plentiful so no complaints. I ordered one of their vegetarian combos, which contained a cabbage dish, two lentil dishes and a greens dish (the most common vegetarian staples). My friend ordered the chicken tibs. The food came out fairly quickly, which was great because I was hungry. The injera was fresh and soft, with great flavor. Each of the dishes had a nice balance of flavor and spice. Overall a good spot for basic Ethiopian food, but I was craving more in terms of restaurant aesthetic. I would definitely consider ordering take-out from here but may try some of the other spots in the neighborhood for a night out.

We went on a Saturday night where we were the only ones in there for a long time, and we couldn't understand why. There's so much ambiance, lovely murals & cool decorations around the restaurant. It's like being invited into someone's home. We think the owner did everything from taking orders to cooking the food. When the good came out, it was so delicious with so many spices and flavors. We look forward to going back & hope more people will join!

I ordered the veggie platter ($15.95 plus tax) for lunch one day, which was ready for pick-up 15 minutes later. You get a nice assortment of dishes, with the misir wot perhaps being my favourite, though the gomen was great too (extra crunchy). The depth of flavours were solid, though perhaps not quite at the level of some of the best Ethiopian places. My only point of comparison for other Ethiopian places in Oakland is Mela, which we enjoyed more. All in all, a little pricey, but quite tasty. Good stuff.

Friendly and excellent service. Convenient to walk by and grab take-out (You don't even have to pre-order - it's fast!). Tried several of their vegan dishes. They were all good, but some were oversalted (the greens, the hummus) and some not salty/spicy enough (the red lentils). The green beans and carrots were perfectly cooked, and the injera was a fluffy mix of wheat and teff. Definitely worth it if you're walking in the neighborhood, though I might order from somewhere with more consistent salt ratios if I'm getting delivery or driving for pick-up.

Amazing Food in a relaxing atmosphere with great, friendly service The food is delicious full of flavor We had the vegetarian plate which came out promptly and everything was so fresh and delicious Fairly priced Don't forge to try the hot Ethiopian tea

I went there , didn't enjoy my food . The meat was tough to chew . Had much better Ethopian food , I probably will not go back

Very good place, people are friendly food is great! Our first time here. We ordered the vegies combo and the meat & mushroom plate (sorry bad at remembering names). It was delicious!!! We went at a good time, no wait time. The salad dressing had a wonderful little kick to it and really fresh. All the dishes had a great freshness to them. And for those who do not like to eat with their bare hands, they provided forks, but dig in people get your hand in there. (Notice our before & after pictures) We will return! Might turn into one of the faves.... Just one heads up...street parking in downtown Oakland.

Found a new lunch spot! The food here is flavorful, savory and perfect for vegetarians and non vegetarians alike. So much fun to eat with a large group, and so many options I cannot wait to go back. Our group ordered a meat combo platter, special Kitfo (not too spicy, just a little kick), Ethiopian vegetarian combo, and Kik Alicha (must try!) and it was all delicious. Service is fast and friendly and prices are very reasonable, especially if you do it family style. Definitely check out this relatively new spot if you have the chance!