Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant, Sports Bar & Lounge

I wasn’t sure what to expect before visiting — I thought it might be more of a sports bar or club — but it turned out to be a great restaurant with delicious food at very reasonable prices. The atmosphere was welcoming, and the staff (and guests) were all very kind, which made our experience even better. My only small critique is that there was incense burning during our visit, which gave off a strong smell. It seemed like it may have been covering up tobacco smoke, though we didn’t actually see anyone smoking inside. Overall, the food, value, and friendly vibe make this place one I’d definitely recommend!

Excellent! The veggie platter is huge and so delicious. Nice spice level on the lentils and I love the shredded beets. I recommend asking for additional injera. Well worth the price. I got mine to go but the restaurant was spacious and welcoming. They do have incense burning in case anyone has asthma or breathing issues.

EDIT: Rating is still a STRONG 5, but now I have been here and eaten here multiple times. Recently I came here on a Saturday afternoon. This place is packed on Saturdays, lots of activity, lots of TVs with multiple sports playing, and a very fun and boisterous crowd. Despite the crowd, service was still prompt and everyone was super nice. Just give it a try! Original: It took me way too long to give this place a try. I walked in and was greeted at the bar with a smile, and a cold glass of water. I was just in to get some food to go but grabbed a beer while I waited. It was served ice cold in a nice glass. The menu has a great selection of items and everything sounds delicious. Ended up getting the ZilZil tibs and would highly recommend that dish. I’m very happy with the taste, quality and portion I received for the price, and cannot wait to come back and work my way through their menu. Also, if you are into espresso drinks, definitely come by and give this a try, their set up is impressive.

First time here, and will be back! Ordered awaze tibs. Fantastic. Legit medium spice. Very oily, but delicious. Would appreciate if the meal came with some kind of veggie side dish.

A neat place tucked away. I was here before volunteering for a community event and the staff were incredibly kind/helpful. The food they offered was fantastic and it was a fun atmosphere. I'll definitely be back, so 5 stars from me!

They are very slow one staff you wait very long time to get your food. You wait very long time to order. It’s just not a good customer service. I was very disappointed. I came with my dad is very sad. We couldn’t eat for like two hours. we’re waiting and then we have to leave. I will never come back to this place again

Food looks really good and smelled wonderful. I am a chef. I did not order any but I will be back soon to try it. Atmosphere....the large tables with ornate chairs are unique to a sports bar. The people there were very kind and welcoming. There was nowhere to sit except a few empty chairs at tables with patrons. I was offered a seat at many tables. I was the only white person there to watch a soccer match and I felt welcomed to be there. Beer was cold and crisp and only $4 dollars for a Summit Saga. Service was awesome.

We were invited to a gathering with some Ethiopian friends and we were not disappointed. The food was just as good as that I had in homes and restaurants in Ethiopia. The space was very nice with large screen tvs around the room. Food was fast and very flavorful. Very authentic and highly recommended. We got the veggie combo and the zilzil tibs. There are other tibs that you could get and the food can easily be shared for one dish for two people. We wanted lots of leftovers and got that.

The Ras Lounge on WENSDAY nights Ladies nights is a nice place to come and get a great variety of live music, live Dj, great food, and drink SPECAILS. $7 Door cover (3for1 door cover until 11pm) $5 Shots top/bottom 11pm $150 bottles 11pm

The worst customer service if you call the women will put you on hold cus they don't want to do anything. And if you go to the restaurant the women will only serve men this worst service ever! And I'm not exaggerating

I was supposed to dj there Saturday night, the week leading up the event curator and I checked to make sure the mix board was there for us, twice. Upon arrival, the mix board was not there nor was the owner. There was talk about trying to find it. So I figured out how to wire my set up to the speakers that were there without the mix board. As soon as I got it working, a worker was "told by the owner" to put those speakers in storage. But the owner was not answering calls of the event curator. I'm not sure who was actually told what but they wanted to act like they didn't understand us and laughed in our faces about taking the speakers away. Along with all of this, to try to get food there or good service is difficult because they do not check back on their customers. I also did not like the salad. I would not recommend anyone try to book a show there or even eat. Take your dollars elsewhere.

Ras takes the space of what used to be Dukem Ethiopian. While the place has new owners and a new name, the menu doesn't appear to have changed---they still hand you menus with "Dukem" printed on front. Also, this used to be a bar-grill a long time ago and the decor hasn't been changed, either. I had a veggie combo platter ($12) which consisted of the usual Ethiopian standards: lentils, split peas, collard greens, etc. It was okay, but not memorable. The food wasn't prepared fresh; it was already sitting out in chafing dishes by the bar and a woman just plopped each dish onto a piece of injera and served it to me. While this is standard practice at nearly every single Ethiopian restaurant in the Twin Cities, it's still disappointing. If you're looking for good Ethiopian food, there are only two places to check out: Fasika (in St. Paul) and Katar River (in Minneapolis). Both of these joints make their food fresh, upon each order, and you can taste the difference.

Wow! Have been driving past this place for years, finally had a chance to eat there. The place was packed and for a good reason, the friendly, what I am assuming are regulars, all welcomed me and my friend. The wait staff were attentive and happy to answer questions. We had the veggie sampler platter and suggested meat dish. Spice level was at a 5, flavor was out of this world. So tasty, so many textures. Highly recommend.

I wandered into Ras at 1am looking for some tasty Ethiopian style injera. I was hungry, cold, and drenched. Food was tasty, portions generous, waiting staff were very professional. Ras hit the spot. Thank you, Ras!!!!

Stopped in for takeout this afternoon. Food is reasonably priced and portions are generous. I'll be back!

Best tere sega and lukanda tibes hands down!! Does tend to cater to the Habesha who frequent the business...also best spot to catch an NFL or a soccer game. Reminds me of a typical establishment back home.

The restaurant is huge and the food is ok. It's the type of place good to catch up with friends over some drinks. All I can say is eat something before you go there cause the food will take 45 minutes to get to your table

I've had higher expectations of authentic Ethiopian cuisine since I grew up eating at the Blue Nile in Detroit. The food here is mediocre at best, and the staff has never even heard of Tej (the national wine, try it some time!). Do yourself a favor and trek down to Fasika's on Snelling and University.

The food was pretty good, though very slow in coming (and our group of 4 were the only ones there). The restaurant was FREEZING cold, as though they hadn't bothered to turn on the heat (in Minnesota. In January.). Our biggest beef was with the fact that they wouldn't honor the Restaurant.com certificate we brought with us. They had discontinued their contract, but Restaurant.com requires that establishments honor any certificates that have been issued--a policy that Ras violated. ALSO--when the manager offered to take 20% off our bill, that seemed like a plausible compromise, but the prices on the bill were WAY higher than the ones in the menu, so it ended up costing the same. I didn't want to make a fuss, because we'd brought a former exchange student with us for his birthday celebration. It would have been awkward. Restaurant.com was great when I called to complain, however, and not only gave me my $25 toward another certificate, they threw an extra $25 on to make up for the inconvenience.

I've always wanted to pop into this place, and when a Restaurant.Com coupon showed up, it was a no-brainer. This was some of the BEST Ethiopian food I've ever had. The injera was especially good. Light and fluffy and not dense, like so many that I've had. We got the BIG variety dinner...bits & pieces of all sorts of things. The spicing was just right. The owner thanked us for coming in. We'll be back...

So, this restaurant is dark inside, they don't serve you silverware unless you ask, I couldn't find a menu online that matched the one we received when we got there, and the food comes at the spice level they cook it at. If these things bother you, don't go here. I loved dining here. Like other individuals who have reviewed, I went with a restaurant.com coupon. The waitress was up front about the rules with us, and helped us pick out food from the menu. She informed us immediately that we could order more food than we need and take home the rest to-go. We ended up purchasing the Mother's Special and the Veggie Combo with Boneless Fish. Both dishes came out on large trays with plenty of fresh injera. Each dish had about 7-8 distinct types of dishes spead out on the injera. It was both fun to try so many different types of dishes, and each one was distinct and delicious. We brought home a second full meal. Some other cool things about this place: The menu has a short description of the influences of Ethiopian food, drinks are decently priced, there's a patio out back, and it's budget friendly. One thing I wished they had but didn't - there was no indication of food items that might be vegan.

They wouldn't redeem a coupon I had with no expiration date, the food was cold and reheated, and the dish wasn't very good overall

A hidden gem!!! The food is authentic Ethiopian. Amazing flavor and very reasonable prices. Nice ambiance too. Plus, the waitress was beautiful and the owner (DJ) made us feel so welcome. Highly recommended! !!! We can't wait to go back

My wife and I went to Ras for the first time Saturday February 25th 2017. This is what I can tell you: If you want a genuine Ethiopian experience, you will get it here. The patrons were all Ethiopian who appeared to be family and friends. Dinner for this group is a social gathering. So unlike Americans who want to sit down, order, eat and then leave, Raz is about making you feel welcome and dinner is only a part of it. This means the food service will be slow by american standards because they are not in a hurry. Your table may not get all its food at the same time. When it is ready, They bring it to you in no particular order. If you are old, they will serve you first as a sign of respect. On the night we were there, they started playing music about 11PM. This is also a social gathering with many dancing in a group. They really enjoy dancing and it is fun to watch. They will also invite you to dance with them to welcome you. The music is loud and is in Amharic. I would call it Ethiopian Disco. Bring ear plugs if you do not like loud music. At Midnight they have a coffee ceremony. If you are offered coffee, they are honoring you and are extending friendship to you. I suggest you Google "Ethiopian coffee ceremony" so you can understand all of it's meaning. Plan on 4 hours for dinner if you want the entire experience. I suggest arriving for dinner after 9PM if you want to stay for the music and coffee ceremony. As for the restaurant itself, The decor is old and needs updating. I also feel they should keep the bathrooms cleaner. I gave them 4 instead of 5 stars for this reason. As for the food, My wife and I split a a plate of Injera with beef tibs. It was very good and the portions are large. Injera is like a thin sour dough pan cake. You tear off a piece and use it to pinch the beef cubes and eat it like a small soft shell taco. Very authentic. If you come to Raz expecting an American dining experience you will be disappointed. If you come to Raz and can put yourself into the culture of a group of Ethiopian immigrants who are celebrating who they are in America you will enjoy it.

Great place to eat if you like dining with mice. I was sitting at the bar and actually seen mice running around and the owner was at the bar too and asked me if I knew how to get rid of them. I can only imagine if they are running around the bar what is the kitchen like?

The worst dining experience ever. Save your restaurant.com money and go somewhere else, Fasika's is great for Ethiopian food. The place is old and dusty, the only people there were family members, I got a spoiled boiled egg in my platter. On top of that they sent me a so many messages when I left my review on facebook, which they deleted now. I don't reccomend it.

A group of us went to Dukem on a weekend evening. We arrived at 7 pm and were amazed to see that we were the only table in the place! The staff was friendly upon entering and made us feel at home. One thing I will say about Dukem, which is a commonality shared with other African restaurants where I've eaten, is that the staff is generally very sweet, but on what I call "Tulsa Time". Nobody's in a hurry to do anything- it's not an attitude or anything, that's just the pace for these folks. No problem, we weren't on a time schedule. Some had Hakim, an Ethiopian Stout beer, and they loved it. Dukem also has a full bar and live music on weekends btw. The food arrived on Tulsa Time, but was well worth the wait. I had the Kifto raw beef. It was spicy, lively tasting and excellent. It came with enough injerra bread to perfectly scoop up every bit of this amazing meal. My friends had various other entrees such as Doro Wot, Sampler platters etc. All their reviews were similar, although some lacked tolerance for heat, so they were a bit surprised. The spicyness isn't crazy, but if you are a swedish-meatballs-are-too-spicy-type, beware. The red lentils were outstanding also! Our waitress was extremely patient with some of us unfamiliar with Ethiopian cuisine, and dutifully explained repeatedly what was what with a smile. The only bad part of this meal was the fact that the place wasn't packed. The food is top notch and a wonderful addition to the Ethnic scene in Mexican and Vietnamese dominated St. Paul.

I've eaten here several times because it is by my house. The ambiance is lacking (old sports bar) and service is indeed slow so I give it a 3 but the food is good (and I love ethiopian food and eat it every chance I get- here and in Addis). Its not as good as Bole or Fasika but its good.

My boyfriend and I stopped here tonight since it was on our way home and we were both feeling adventurous. I've driven by it so many times and have always been curious to see what it was like on the inside. Apparently it used to be a divey football bar. It's now a divey Ethiopian bar/restaurant. The music was too loud, there was a language barrier with our server (but she was very sweet), and they were out of all of their special beers (or at least that's we *think* our server was trying to tell us). I've had Ethiopian food numerous times in the past, and I always get basically the same thing (vegetarian sampler). I was pleasantly surprised to see that Dukem also had a vegetarian platter listed on the menu (in a section labeled 100% vegan!) so that's what I ordered. It was right on par. My favorite thing about the sampler is that it's cheap and easily feeds two hungry people. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but it was a great change of pace tonight.

The outside of Dukem made me a little leery, but once inside, it reinforced my viewpoint that the sketchy places tend to have the best food. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. My husband and I shared a lamb dish, a beef dish, and a vegetable dish (shiro). All three dishes were delicious, and, of course, came with plenty of injera. The service was decent. Our waitress patiently answered all of our questions. We will definitely be going here again.

I don't even know where to start with this place. Their website is so ridiculous that I just had to check it out. Once I walked in and heard "I want to lick you up" playing on the sound system, I knew I was in for a treat. The place smells like cabbage and my high school locker room. I decided to get the veggie combo based on another review and it wasn't too bad. I gave them one extra star for the cheap beers.

The worse place I've ever been. I have been to Ethiopian restaurants in many cities, Chicago, Kansas City, Washington D.C and California. I have to say this place had horrible service, the waitress was busy chatting with a guy instead of asking if we need water, napkins, or anything else, she literally walked up and said "Hi" and put the food on the table then walked off. After a short while I asked for more water and she took my cup then returned 15 minutes later. Where is the pitcher? (Keep in mind they had two servers and maybe 10 customers) after receiving my water I asked for the check, she say ok and walks off. The waitress comes back and I hand her my card. It then takes 20 minutes to run my card and return. So if you enjoy ok food and shitty service followed with unsanitary place with a side of wtf then this is the place.....sugar dish was filthy, rugs need shampoo, lights need repair, walls need washed and possible painted.....I would said only classes and tasteless people would enjoy it.....I was invited and didn't want to be rude.

Wow! What a gem. Not much to look at (we were there for lunch), but the staff couldn't be friendlier. We each ordered a combo (one was vegetarian the other lamb). I had the lamb and I have to say, it was some of the best, flavorful, spicy, awesome lamb I've had in a long time. There were two different preparations of the lamb on the injera bread, and they were both incredible. The portions were huge. One order would have been good for two of us. (They graciously provided boxes to take the leftovers home (if not, I would have probably tried to finish everything there and be unable to function the rest of the day!) The last time I ate Ethiopian food it was, meh. I wasn't too excited about going to this place, but I will be back!

I like their food, better that some other Ethiopian restaurants in the Twin Cities and elsewhere in the US. They have a cool bar if you want to grab a beer, the people are very nice, it's a little slow service though - which leads me to suspect that they do in fact cook all their food fresh!

We had an excellent experience. A group of 4 for lunch today. The food was great (I had the veggie combo) - taste, appearance and portion size. Would love to return soon. We all had a great time.

Really enjoy this place. (Now called Ras.) The outside can seem a little intimidating (few windows, so you're not really sure what to expect), but the food is GREAT - love the carrots/beans, cabbage, yellow lentil (try the veggie combo). If you're new to Ethiopian food, your best bet is to do a combo instead of a full-on meat dish. The staff is SOOOOO happy to have you. Very laid-back, yes, as other reviewers note, but most cultures aren't as obsessed with time as we are. You never feel like you're getting hurried out so they can make another dollar with the next table. If you tell them you're in a hurry your food will be brought out quickly. They also have a new weekday buffet that is quick and easy and tasty! Came here with a group once; we were definitely clucked over and personally thanked by the owner.