Emma Habesha Restaurant

Went to this place to watch some 🔥 reggae. It feels just like Schotchies restaurant in Montego Bay. Will go back to try and food and update. Until then enjoy these vocal styling.

The food is very fresh! Emma is very lovely and hospitable. The restaurant is nice and clean. This is a hidden gem. We had the vegan platter and the fried fish. It was the perfect amount for 2 people and very reasonably priced. The lentil sambusa was crispy and fresh and had fresh herbs. And that Ethiopian coffee was amazing!!! I am not a coffee drinker and I loved it.

Such an amazing restaurant. The food was delicious and the coffee was PHENOMENAL. Not too bitter, very rich, and someone else said it tastes like dark chocolate - it does! The atmosphere is so calming, especially if you sit outside. The service is wonderful too, the server was very kind and recommended us a few dishes. Will definitely come back again. Parking is also free and available :)

I am speechless. First time trying Ethiopian food and I came to the right place! Staff was very friendly. I’m usually not a fan of lentils, but the red lentils was super delicious!! It’s a must!!! I also got the honey wine and it was very smooth. It’s also house-made which made it even better! It got me feeling very relaxed ☺️ will be coming back!

If you ain’t visit this place, something is definitely wrong with you lol!!! I have nothing but RAVING reviews for this place! The restaurant is family owned, black owned, and Mama Emma is VICIOUS in the kitchen. The restaurant is definitely something that surprises you with a small Intimate air-conditioned inside to a full private backyard with plenty of seating and fire pits for heat in the chill cool of the night and restrooms are available. The food is absolutely A-1, Top Notch and I cannot begin to explain the comfort of eating such organic foods with a perfect blend of Ethiopian Spices and Herbs. As you can see in my photo reviews. The portions are great and since I’m vegan, I always eat the same thing every time I come because I can’t get off this one place, I’m addicted. They have a selection of wine to choose from, but I’d prefer if they enlarge there selection of wine… but that is the only criticism I have for this place. Emma is definitely cultural, having moved here to the states in hopes of bettering herself and her family, she has been here 12 years and the rest of the family came soon after. They are all great people hands down.. such a peaceful and calm and welcoming atmosphere, I’d rate a 10 stars if I could. I had the Veggie dish with rice and as simple as it sounds, she did some magical stuff to this white rice lol. This place is great for date nights, after church meals, or practically anything.. just come. You’ll be greatly satisfied.

Emma was an amazing host and this was one of the best dining experiences I've had in a long time. She took the time to explain the menu in detail and asked what kinds of flavors and textures we preferred before giving recommendations. The food came out delicious and out of the handful of times I've tried Ethiopian cuisine, her cooking tasted the most authentic and was incredibly flavorful. We also wanted to visit her specifically for an authentic Ethiopian coffee experience and she did not disappoint. Emma really went above and beyond to make the experience enjoyable for us and even went out of her way to teach us about the culture and shared community aspect behind dining with friends and family. After we finished eating, she brought out the coffee beans in a roasting pan for us to smell. After brewing the coffee, she even joined us to explain the traditions and etiquette of enjoying coffee as a group, and overall was incredibly welcoming and friendly. It was a wonderful experience learning about a different culture and I will definitely be visiting again.

Unbelievably delicious! A truly authentic experience. Had the vegan combo, which was an amazing array of flavors. So much fun eating with the injera! Please go visit Emma and allow her to cook for you!!

This is a classic hole in the wall restaurant that I will definitely come back to. Had the vegan platter with a fish dish and chicken stew. The meal was quite large and very filling, two people could not finish it! The fish dish said it was spicy but I didn't realize how spicy, luckily the fresh jalapenos are easy to remove if you don't like extremely hot food! Beautiful presentation and all of the vegetables were great but the red and green lentils were my fav. Each of the dishes had a distinct and delightful flavor and of course I had to try and Ethiopian beer which was tasty! I can easily recommend and am happy that I found a great spot in my neighborhood.

We had an absolutely delicious meal at Emma Habesha Restaurant this evening! We were greeted by the friendly staff members and a warm, inviting energy in the space. We were so impressed by the outdoor seating area out back. So cozy and comfortable! For food, we ordered the vegetarian combination plate to share, and I tried the beef tibs. The food was *fantastic* -- easily the best Ethiopian cuisine I've had in Los Angeles thus far, and the injera was spot on. My fiancée turned to me on the way home and said "I can't wait to go back there over and over again." Portions are quite large, which we really appreciated! We're really excited to return, especially for upcoming events and themed nights! Cannot recommend Emma Habesha Restaurant enough!

Another Ethiopian place within doordashing range? Awesome! Their Doro Wot is delicious, some sweet and sour nuances, plenty of depth to the sauce. Awaze Tibs are alright as well, tender beef but not a standout like the doro wot. The Veggie Combo is so fresh and so clean, the collard greens in particular. The other items are as expected, straightforward lentils, etc. Good, clean cooking. Would be happy to eat here again.

What a hidden gem! Delightful Ethiopian food. We had the vegan combination and everything was great. The coffee was also very nice and did not need anything added to it.

First time trying Ethiopian food and it did not disappoint! Food was amazing and the staff was super friendly!

We had the veggie combo and a beef dish. So I would say this place is at par. The service could improve. The menus were dirty and needed wiping. There were no napkins in the napkin holder. Water had to be asked for. I also have a question because other places when I receive the injera it's served warm but here it was cold. Good prices and the amount was good. Just not a home run.

Came here Wednesday for game night. This place is so fun on game night! They played great music and everyone there was having a great time. The place is small inside but they have a beautiful backyard area that's pretty large. My friend and I ordered the vegan combo and thoroughly enjoyed it. The food was flavorful and enough to fill us both up. I definitely plan to come back!

Now I probably had Ethiopian food once. I've been missing out! You can simply pass by this restaurant since there is no large obvious signs but they have a parking lot and even street parking. Got the tibs which is seasoned beef sautéed with onions and had a side salad. The vegan combo is where it's at. Multiple vegetarian sides ranging from lentils to cabbage. Colorful and delicious. They all went well together. All are served on injera and with injera on the side.

Everything about the restaurant was great . The mother and son are extremely hospitable. I recommend them to anyone ! The restaurant was nice and clean . The Food is fresh and amazing.

As always, if you're craving ethiopian, Emma is your queen. We've thoroughly reviewed the other items in previous reviews, but today we tried something new. Gomen be sga is collard green mixed with beef and it's a delicious third dish if you love tibbs but want soemtjing slightly different. Awaze tibbs and tibbs will always be our main contenders because the spice combo is just incredible, but gomen be sga will have you scooping mouthful after mouthful in a feeding frenzy as well. It's not spicy, and the spice tastes like a less fragrant version of tibbs so delicious. The only drawback was probably that it was a bit too salty, way saltier than the tibbs and Awaze and it was not a pleasant sensation to get bites of unevenly overly salted collard green tibbs. Future items we plan to try are fish dullet and in and out (which is basically like tibbs but a much less cooked version of beef!) Thanks for an immensely satisfying dinner as always, Emma!

Came on a Sunday and had a wonderful lunch/experience. Pros: - Vegan combo was BOMB!!! Packed with flavor that slapped me across the face. I can see myself turning vegetarian for this!! Highly recommend and is a must get. You will not miss meat! - Get their "bread"/wrap - it enhances all the dishes as it has a unique, sour taste that really ties everything together. I could eat two baskets of this myself. - Coffee set for 2 was strong and was exactly what I needed to start off my Sunday. - Plenty of parking in their parking lot. Cons: - Hours on Yelp wasn't accurate, and I wasn't able to find their store hours anywhere on the store. It opened at 12PM on Sunday, not 11 as stated on Yelp. - The chicken was fall off the bone tender and had a lot of flavor, but lacked salt for me - I'm not an expert on African cuisine so I'm not sure whether it's supposed to be like this, but I wish it had more salt. Lots of flavor from the spices, but needed salt. I would definitely recommend trying this place and I'd come again to try more dishes.

Ate here before heading to the Taylor Swift concert. A small but unique restaurant. It was fun to introduce my family to Ethiopian food and reminded me of Boston's Lucy's Ethiopian cafe

Closed! Was not open when we arrived, hours say open until 9, we arrived at 7:20. Menu looked great but I guess we'll never know if it actually is!!

This was my second experience of trying Ethiopian food and I was blown away. We ordered the vegan combo and beef tibbs. Everything was delicious, but I would definitely return for the tibbs again. Cooked perfectly with lots of flavor. Thanks for the hospitality as well!

Had a wonderful dinner with my girlfriend here. Parking is a little iffy - you can either find parking on the street or call the restaurant and have them open a gate for you to park in a lot. Otherwise, zero issues. Will definitely be coming back!

Yummy fresh Ethiopian food in a cozy clean hidden cove with a super warm and friendly owner: Emma. Fish and Vegan platter is my go to. The sambusa was hot and fresh and had fresh herbs inside which was a very nice touch. The Ethiopian coffee was a beautiful experience and I don't even like coffee. It was so smooth and fragrant. Free parking in the lot. Clean bathrooms. Emma was super sweet and talked to us about the many different Habesha languages and tribes. I wanted to hug her :-) 5 stars!!!

im so glad i found this spot omg. i got to LAX early for my flight and was hungry so i looked up vegan (friendly) food nearby and found emma. i haven't had ethiopian food in a minute and this was SO GOOD!! i loved my vegan combo and the injera was super soft. it's my dad's first time trying ethiopian food and he loved it. i definitely recommend, i'll for sure be coming back yay!!!

I am so glad I looked up Ethiopian food and tried this restaurant. Emma's food is delicious and the atmosphere is very quiet and home-like. Emma herself was a delight to talk to (when she wasn't busy in the kitchen!). Bonus: real, authentic strong coffee. I'm a fan.

I love the veggie combination, the fish is delicious, the price is very reasonable and the amount of food you get

Maybe it was an off day or off time of day, but the Doro Wat wasn't good. The egg still had part of its shell. Two tiny drumsticks and the food was very oily. $18 felt very overpriced for what it was.

My Ethiopian friend took me here and I want to say that Emma serves heaven on a plate. The food is so good, flavorful and the portion size is worth the price. The customer service is also topnotch as she kept asking us if we enjoyed the food and made sure everything was fine by us. I also love the space as it gives a homely vibe. I will definitely visit again.

Delicious Will be coming back. Thank you for what you do for community. I had the vegan platter and it was delicious. You know it's bomb when the Tv in the background isn't speaking the English language. And I'm grateful for that.

Great tasting food. Definitely going back. The owner is very nice and courteous . The place is very clean and has a nice touch of traditional decorations. It's a great place for events , quiet , peaceful and comfortable

I'm not Ethiopian or Vegan, nor been to Ethiopia - but I really do enjoy Ethiopian food. So, when my friend, and fellow Yelper, Irene Y suggested two Ethiopian places for lunch yesterday, I was stoked. I don't know too many people who like the cuisine so when given the chance, I'll go - no arm twisting needed. So, Emma's is located in Inglewood, on La Brea, south of Centinela. Follow your GPS as you could drive past it as the front of the restaurant faces La Brea but is obscured by a gate and is set back away from the street. There's street parking or in the lot shared by other businesses. The interior is clean and somewhat modern - not really good for really large groups. I don't have a word that really describes the place other than charming. I'm not sure how I would describe the service as well - the server seemed hesitant to recommend one dish and her responses to other questions were somewhat vague or noncommittal. Not in a bad way - more like not being able to recommend one dish because they're all good. Once our order was placed, she was attentive and seemed amused by our photo shoot. Damned Yelpers! I enjoyed our meal. We ordered the Vegetarian dish and the Lamb Stew. Presentation is awesome in the pics but doesn't do it justice as far as the taste goes. I even enjoyed the vegetables more than the lamb. Know that I'm not a vegetarian - not even close but if all vegetarian dishes were this tasty, I would switch over. I really liked this place a lot. Not because I got to eat with my hands - but because I felt the food was just that good.

Fresh and good No more schlepping to pico and Fairfax all the time Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Almost passed it driving by but will never forget now! I was fortunate to have a good friend who took me to this lovely, elegant intimate dining experience. It is very small, but the entire experience was huge. Our food was delicious, not too spicy. Service was excellent! They are very attentive. It is casual with authentic Ethiopian decor. A very lovely and elegant place. I can't wait to return. Habesha is the best!

Bad portion. Reminds me of back home when they give out tiny portions for a lot of money. They want to apply the same thing here, and I'm not for it. Some of the food is stale too. Hope they can improve as we don't have many options here.

Food is terrible, owner? / cook lady inside is very rude!! I went there after I saw the sign while driving and was so excited to get Ethiopian food. The lady at the cashier was very nice but the cook lady inside the kitchen ruined my experience. I didn't feel at ease but since I had a long drive home I was what the heck just get some to go and it will be fine. I ordered the kitfo, tibs and veggie combo. The injera was nasty! The kitfo meat was terrible and all the veggies was old. No wonder, food cooked with bad attitudes, not surprised.

Emma's is hit or miss. I'm a vegetarian so I get the veggie combo platter. Sometimes the lentils are cooked to perfection and other times they are hardly cooked. The injera as well seems to be changing more often in taste and texture which I do not like. The portions can be very small when eating inside the restaurant but carry out seems more plentiful. The flavors however are really good. I used to frequent another ethiopian food place now closed called Nyala's and flavor wise this comes very close. The salad is very good also. For the most part I come here when I have a craving for it but due to the price ($40) I can't frequent here too much for inconsistent food.

Food ok , Lentils overcooked... but nice service and back courtyard is cute . Good menu

My kids and I love Ethiopian food, and this restaurant is one of our new favorites. So good! The owner is welcoming and an absolutely wonderful cook. We thought we ordered enough to have leftovers but it was so delicious we devoured it. We shared a vegetarian platter and a meat platter. So good! We will be back!

This restaurant was a bit tricky to find as it was hidden by a privacy fence, but also a true hole in the wall. To me this was a good omen since in my experience the food tastes so much better at hole in the walls Long story short, the menu at this place is very meat heavy. If you're a vegetarian, they only have one choice: "veggie combo". And it tasted bland; very disappointing. Other Ethiopian restaurants have much more vegetarian options and are far more flavorful. While the lamb stew I had was delicious, I felt the overall meal wasn't well balanced. The injera was not especially great tasting (didn't taste fresh; almost stale). Prices were reasonable and the seating was quite nice ("traditional Ethiopian seating"). Overall it was ok and I wouldn't go back there due to very limited vegetarian options and not the best tasting food overall.

Food was delicious. Service was friendly. Atmosphere was beautiful! First time having Ethiopian food, I really enjoyed it! Would definitely come back for more!!

The owner is sooooo trash and rude to her employees. They try their hardest and she's so cold, impatient and rude to them. I can't imagine working for her... Just Horrible!!!

Unfortunately I can't remember when I was here, but it was many many months back. But I had to come and leave a review because my friends and I had such a good experience here. The food all tasted so good and felt like there was a lot of love put into the food and restaurant. We were lucky enough to come at a slow time and Emma was absolutely so sweet to us. She gave us recommendations based on what we were feeling up to because we weren't familiar with the dishes and names. She even sat down at the end when she made up Ethiopian coffee and told stories of her life growing up in Africa and how the coffee brought together their community after we asked her. I love learning about other cultures and so I thought it was wonderful that she took the time to teach us. The worst part might be finding the restaurant or finding parking, because it is located in a pretty small and hard to spot area.

DELICIOUS! We had the Awaze Tibbs and Vegan Combo and the flavors were robust and distinct. The green lentil with mustard was my favorite (and she brought more after I told her!) They have some parking spots next to the entrance.

Received such a warm welcome from the Emma and Hanna. Ordered a Vegan Combo complete with greens and a multitude of colorful veggies on top of a nutritious injera. This plate was extremely filling as it was satisfying & delicious. After our meal we were blessed with a traditional fresh buna (Ethiopian coffee) ceremony complete with the all the fixings. If you're looking for something delicious, nutritious and healthy, I highly recommend this restaurant. I will definitely be back to try one of their fish dishes in the near future!

Food was amazing. Service was excellent. Huge back patio with super cute lounge areas. You'd never know just by looking at the front of the restaurant, but it's a real hidden gem. Will def be coming back!

First time having Ethiopian food. So glad we finally tried it! The server explained everything to us and was super patient and friendly and happy to share about her culture. We'd never heard of injera so it was kind of mind blowing to feel it's texture and how it played differently with all the other textures. So so good! 10/10 recommend.

This gorgeous hidden gem is a must if you are looking for delicious Ethiopian food. The variety of dishes available is immense and so flavorful! The staff is extremely helpful with recommendations and Emma herself cooks everything with absolute love. They also have an outdoor seating area under a colorful mural and the stars. Do yourself a favor and cancel whatever other dinner plans you have and come here instead!

Truly some of the best ethiopian food I've had in a minute!!! Incredible flavors, portion sizes are perfect, and their injera is so perfect. Absolutely order the coffee and the tej!

It was a pleasure to eat at this place today. Food was deliciously made. I tried the vegan plate and the Lamb Curry. Lamb curry was done to perfection. Is small, but uniquely decorated, better than overprice restaurant in miracle mile. I highly recommended, just give them sometime to cook your food is freshly made.

I love Ethiopian food and this is my absolute favorite place to go! The service is exceptional and the people there are so kind. I highly recommend!

My sister and I were invited to have lunch at this restaurant by a gentleman we met while walking in the mornings. We had never eaten Ethiopian food and were interested in the flavors. We were pleasantly impressed with the food at Emma's. She did everything, took the order, prepared the food and served it. She explained what each dish was and what the flavors meant. The food was amazing and so flavorful. I'm not sire what it was called but I think it was a dip made of chickpeas which was so good. She had incense and we ended the meal with the traditional coffee. This is a restaurant I plan to come to again and bring the family. She even boxed up the leftovers to take home. My son who is even pickier than I m liked the flavors of the food

This was the worst Ethiopian food I have ever had. I was so hungry from traveling to an airport hotel for the night. I had two bites and left. I drove to Fairfax in rush hour traffic, 30 minutes later, amazing food, worth the drive. After leaving Emma's I had an amazing meal.

Such delicious authentic Habesha food. The environment (outside) was chill and the dishes were tasteful. I myself had the vegan combination plate and my wife had the dry tips, it was all so yummy!! We're full and happy, also took a plate to go for later since we can't get enough.

Great outdoor dining during COVID. The Ethiopian food was fantastic....we ordered the Vegan platter with lamb and would definitely go back again. Highly recommend! We went on a Friday night and they had music playing, Ethiopian music videos on the big screen, and incense burning. Their restaurant had a fun and lively vibe.

Amazing Ethiopian food !! Love Emma the owner !!! She makes everything super fresh !!!

We enjoyed the vegan combo but we wanted to try the fish dullet too. Unfortunately, they had run out of it by 4 pm, so we'll just have to try again some day when we're in the area. We would recommend the Ethiopian coffee as well. One order was enough for both of us.

The best Ethiopian food! It is super fresh with outstanding flavors. The restaurant vibe inside is very authentic. Perfect place for authentic food and good experience. To add on top, great service! Thank you!!