Emily C.
Yelp
The food here was fantastic; the cook actually deserves a 5-star, whom my boyfriend and I met the first time we went here. However, the service/management/communication could use some work.
I loved it enough to get a 2nd Groupon to come back to this place, because although it was my first time trying Ethiopian food at that time and it was a bit pricey (for a college student), I remember really being impressed by the culture of the food. I loved the inerja, and there was a food item that caught my eye on the menu that I wanted to try a second time around: RAW beef.
I tried coming back here one late night, and to double check the hours, I looked online and saw 2am. I called to clarify to ask what time the actual kitchen closes, and the lady on the phone said 10-11pm. Confused by the range of time as an answer, I asked again. Nothing direct, once more, but between 10-11pm. I took this as a sign that it would be between those hours, because rarely do people give a range and they actual mean the extreme ends of the range. It was around 9:15 when I called, so I decided to try and make it. It didn't help that the address posted for this restaurant is wrong on Google: My boyfriend and I ended up at the restaurant at 9:55. When we came in, the first thing the lady tells us is that they are closed at 10. I understood that we were cutting it close, but NOW you say an exact time? I would have saved myself an extra trip if this lady was more clearer in the first place.
So I come back for a 3rd time because I still had the Groupon to use. Let me emphasize that I paid for this Groupon just to try their raw beef entree (Kurt Sega). The menu said that this entree was served only on Saturday. So guess what? I came on a Saturday. When I ordered, she said it was not available tonight. Like what?? If a restaurant owns up to saying a certain special dish is served only ONCE a week, as a customer, I would expect the restaurant to honor it and have it available, ESPECIALLY when the restaurant is not busy and the excuse was not that they ran out. Then my boyfriend tries to order a half & half, and guess what? THAT WAS ALSO NOT AVAILABLE. He ended up getting the Firfir, which he was satisfied with. But I was still determined to get something close to the Kurt Sega item, so I asked the server if there was any similar raw beef dish. She pointed out the Kitfo, but then immediately mentioned that I wouldn't like it because it was uncooked. I told her I understood (didn't I just try to order the Kurt Sega?), and that I wanted to try it anyways. I reiterated with her that I wanted the beef raw (because on the menu it stated you can choose between cooked, rare, and raw). When the food came out, she stated again that I may not like the raw beef, but added the courtesy that the cook can cook it for me if I didn't like it. At this point, I appreciated the gesture of service, but now in the back of my mind I was starting to think 'why is this lady so adamant about me not having raw beef here?'. I was almost expecting now to get food poisoning from it.
The food itself, was delicious!! Pictures included. Despite the poor experience, personally, I would still go back here JUST for the food (and I didn't get diarrhea!). And I will be making sure to call in every time I decide to go in to triple check everything.
TIP(s): Even though the restaurant says it opens late, the kitchen actually closes around 10. To be safe, come early! And to be safer, come earlier than what you plan for because the restaurant itself is hard to find! Look up the menu prior to coming, and then call if they ask if it's available.