Mahider Ethiopian Restaurant & Market

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food (with friends who have had it before) and oh my goodness it is so so so good. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GO TRY IT. We got one big dish to share and man the portions are generous and there is so much variety. We got the option that includes meat but there are also a good amount of vegetarian options. Food was so flavorful and filling. Service is amazing with the sweetest owner (I believe) and food comes pretty quickly. I unfortunately don’t live in the area so won’t be able to frequent it often but definitely would if I lived in SLC. Highly recommend!

Love love love! Great service, great atmosphere, and of course amazing food! So happy to have this restaurant in SLC. We crave Ethiopian all the time- there is another Ethiopian restaurant across the street BUT I would STRONGLY advise coming here. The portions for the price are much bigger and the staff are so much more friendly.

Outstanding food in stripmall cafe. Service is excellent and friendly. Food is always well prepared and presented. Sampler platter is the best way to tour this cafe (and connected store). Huge portions. Highly recommended.

On entrance into the establishment you are immediately greeted with hand painted murals on each wall and fluorescent light covers that invoke feelings of peace, comfort, and zen. I ordered the taste of Mahider for 2, this beast was a behemoth that requires more than just an empty stomach! Food was well done and full of all sorts of delicious spices. Highly recommend for any adventurous families and friends

Fabulous! I don't believe I've ever had Ethiopian food before and this was not only delicious but a welcome cultural experience. Unique spices. Our favorite dish was the vegetarian combo (both the vegetarian and the chicken combos were each enough to feed two people). I loved the lamb with jalapenos, one of the best lamb dishes I've had. Also got the chicken samosa with the jalapeno sauce, it was just the right level of spice. Friendly service as well. Thank you!

Came here with a friend and had such a great experience! Excited to come back. We loved the food and the staff, everyone was so nice to us. This is a great place to come with friends or family! We got the Mahider platter for 2

This has such a lovely atmosphere. I especially love the murals in the walls. And everyone who works here is so friendly and smiling. If was delightful to come try new foods in such a cheerful environment. I really liked the injera. We tried two different platters and it was nice to sample a wide range of foods. If you're looking to try Ethiopian food, I highly recommend this restaurant!

We make sure to eat here every time we come to Salt Lake City. The food is just so good. It's a very informal place, so maybe not best for an elegant occasion but it's hard to go wrong for anything else. It's a stunning array of flavor in pretty much every bite. If you've never had Ethiopian food before, you're in for a treat. If you have had it, rest assured that this is really good Ethiopian food.

This place is authentic Ethiopian food. So I've been told, it taste pretty good. Don't be intimidated to try it. This place has been here for quite some time. The service here is awesome. The portions are great. And if you like spice, it's here. Whenever I come here, I like to try something new but if I'm bringing people that have never been before I always do the taste of Mahider platter. It's big lots of fun flavors to try and the experience is memorable. This is a place you must try at least once in your life. I'm not sure I'll ever travel to Ethiopia, but this place sure makes it fun to have so close to home.

The food was amazing. I got the siga wot, my husband got the doro wot, and we got lentil sambusas to share. The portions were huge! We were both happy to take home half our food for another meal. Everything was delicious but the siga wot was my favorite. It was spicy and the beef was melt in your mouth tender. Our waitress was kind, attentive, and quick. She was the one who recommended the siga wot and I couldn't love her more for it. We loved the art on the walls and the informative stands on the tables that talk about Ethiopian food, coffee, and culture. Overall a fantastic choice for meal.

Flavorful food served in healthy portions. The stews were beautifully seasoned and the injera (crepe that served as the vessel for the stews) was surprisingly bright in flavor. Additional injera was provided on the side complementarily. The service was warm and friendly.

A great find for Ethiopian food in SLC. The injera was just right, and the kitfo was amazing, especially paired with quanta firfir when ordering their cornis. The whole group had a great time, and those new to Ethiopian cuisine got the Taste of Mahider, which let them try a little of everything. We also had the Ethiopian honey wine, Tej, which was a fun addition to the meal. The service was friendly and welcoming, and the restaurant had a warm, cozy feel that made it an especially nice place to be on a cold day. I'd love to come back and try more dishes, but my first choices were so good that it'll be tough to branch out.

Wonderful hole in the wall Ethiopian restaurant. Food was tastey and service was efficient. Great vibe with Ethiopian decor and Ethiopian music videos playing on the TVs.

I hadn't been here in years and forgot how much I love this place! They have a bunch of vegan options here, which is wonderful to see. I've always gotten their vegetarian combination platter, which has a sampling of all of their vegan dishes and their tomato salad, served on top of Injera, which is a soft, spongey, Ethiopian bread that is served with all of their entrees. You can also get rice instead of the bread for a gluten free option. The vegetarian platter is large and could easily be shared. It barely looked like I made a dent in it and I was stuffed. They gave us some additional Injera to eat with our dishes, and both of us took home lots of leftovers. The Injera is such a unique flavor. It's a little bit sour/tangy, very light and easy to eat. There are no utensils at Mahider, so the bread acts as your utensils when you're eating your entrees. The service is quick, and the food came out fast. I definitely won't let years go by before eating here again!

This place is amazing! We got the Taste of Mahider for two people, and they do not skimp on portions. I love that they have this option that allowed us to try a good sampling of their menu. The vegan dishes were my fav! The injera had the most perfect fluffy texture and the iconic light sour flavor

We did takeout and ordered the combo plate. The food was amazing and plentiful! I love being able to taste all of the different foods rather than having to choose one. Can't wait to go back

Listed as the best Ethiopian cuisine in Salt Lake City according to Eater. Very quality service and food turnaround time was quick. Portions are massive which I can appreciate with the price. Plenty of vegetarian choices as well. Highly recommend if you want an authentic Ethiopian experience and taste food that you do not normally try.

So fantastic. It's been a while since we have been by but man did it hit the spot. My favorite is the Doro Wot -which is just so flavorful and the Gomen - I dare say it stands up to any collard greens dish out there. Service is always fast and kind, you can really feel the passion for their restaurant by the way they carry themselves as well as take care of the customers. We will definitely be back!

Best cheap eats I've had, delicious food for a great price , had the sampler for two which had so many delicious portions and more than enough for two. The Injera was wonderful.

Another hole in the wall gem on state Street. Mahider is an authentic Ethiopian restaurant offering a variety of authentic Ethiopian dishes. Service was friendly although a bit slow at times. Since it was our first time, we started off with the lentil sambusa and the Taste of Mahider for two. The injera which is a flat bread unique to Ethiopian cuisine was nice and spongey and not as sour as ones I've had before. The portions were impressive and the flavors were delicious! The sambusa and some of the veggie options were on the spicy side which I loved but can be a bit much for those not tolerant of it. The sambusa was stuffed full of lentils and came with a spicy green sauce for dipping. The Taste of Mahider was an impressive platter full of different textures, colors and flavors. The restaurant is small and very dim with paper covering the windows. For a taste of Ethiopia this is the place to go!

This is the best African restaurant I have been too. Food is very delicious authentic tasting.

Great food. We tried the chicken sambusa and Beef & Chicken Combination / . We enjoyed the whole experience. The service was great. It's a small and comfy place. I will be back.

I recently moved to Utah from Dallas. The big D has many many Ethiopian restaurants and I am a big fan. Utah has just two (2). I decided to try one, so first went to Oromian, but it was closed (about 3 pm) so came on to Mahider. The service was friendly and fast. The food was as good as or better than the places in Dallas. I got the "Taste of Mahider" which had three small meat servings and 6-7 vegetarian ones. I got three meals out of it after taking home leftovers so the $19 price seemed quite cheap to me - less than $7 per meal! It was delicious my one and only complaint was that they only had beef & chicken for proteins. Back home we could get fish, goat, etc. which was great. If Mahider ever starts serving fish in addition to its other meals I'll up their rating to 5 stars. I loved it in any case and will be back again & again.

This was the first we ate here in person. Have been doing takeout before. Service was great. We ordered out usual taste of mahider and the yemisir alicha. Both were so good! The restaurant is small and the parking lot is even smaller if possible. But this place is worth it.

Best Ethiopian restaurant hands down! Great atmosphere provided by the owner and his staff. Owner has a great personality and good sense of humor. Food was so delicious, that I over ate We tried first Oromian across the street and just total garbage service, atmosphere, and a great ego trip from Esthe the owner of Oromian. To the point that I canceled our $100+ order and came here to Mahider.

The combination for two people was more than enough for three people, and we had leftovers to take home. Great friendly service and everything from yellow lentils to collards were delicious. Server brought more injera without us asking. Will definitely be back when we're in SLC again.

Ethiopian cuisine is such a treat for me. Found this by chance when in the area. Ordered the Taste of Mahider for carry out. The portion was generous for one person, but I wasn't going to share anyway! Everything was delicious and the injera was perfect. Looking forward to ordering again.

The food here is amazing and is a great experience. Everyone I take here for the first time becomes a fan. It's a fun experience! The service is great too. Love it!

Good food, fast service, and decent prices. If you're in SLC and your palette needs a break from chain restaurant fare, don't hesitate. We enjoyed our meal, and the homemade injera made by a family member in the kitchen was remarkably fresh and delicious. If you are a connoisseur of Ethiopian cuisine, you'll enjoy it more if you lower your standards slightly; after all, the spices and ingredients must be imported. It is Utah.

The food was great. The quanta firfir reminded me of my mother's dish. Service was decent and the place has a relaxed environment.

I've been coming here in the last year and it never disappoints. Didn't have time to sit down, so I did take out. I'd prefer eating there just because the dish complexity has so many different stuff they put on the bread (not sure the name) consistency of a pancake/crêpe. All of the different stuff they put on the bread is so different in each bite it's mind blowing. From greens, to vegetables, to lentils, to meat. With cheese added. Yum!!!! Still amazing with take out.

You can't really go wrong with having Ethiopian food, so when I was in Salt Lake City, I wanted to go somewhere off-the-beaten bath and Mahider Ethiopian is exactly what I needed. What I got: - Doro wot: Two (2) tender chicken legs marinated in lemon juice and ginger, cooked in a homemade spicy stew, served with freshly made cottage cheese and a hard boiled egg; $12.99. - Lamb Tib: Cubed pieces of marinated lamb sautéed in onion, jalapeño and spiced butter; my absolutely favourite dish - along with some injera, it's so comforting to eat; $14.99 Pro-tip: If this is your first time (or you just want a date night deal), the Taste of Mahider platter is what you should try out - it serves 2 people for less than $30. Their portions are pretty big - I was able to have leftovers for breakfast right out of the fridge; if you've never tried Ethiopian food cold, it's still really good too!

I cannot believe I haven't written a review for Mahider yet! This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in town, and holds its own against some of the best Ethiopian food I've tried. The restaurant is popular, so be prepared to wait if visiting at peak times. The food is so great, it's absolutely worth the wait though! And it is actually just as good via the delivery services or pick up, if you'd prefer to eat at home. The Taste of Mahider plate is an excellent place to start. I love pretty much all of the vegetable dishes, so this assortment alone is extremely satisfying. Their lamb tibs are absolutely incredible though, so my husband and I usually order one Taste of Mahider and one lamb tibs to split. There is almost always food left over, which is also delicious the next day. I just can't say enough how excellent Mahider is! I can't think of any other restaurant that I have to actively restrain myself from eating absolutely every last bite, every time. And on top of the fantastic food, the service is always patient and friendly. I'm such a fan and cannot wait to return!

A small pile of undercooked beans, lentils, and rice. The service was nice enough, though she didn't wash her hands when she left the bathroom. So I ate almost nothing. Good thing...my friends got sick.

Great Ethiopian food! They import some of the spices from Ethiopia. Waiter took care to accommodate my food allergies. My very picky child even liked one of the dishes (more than the chicken nuggets a we ordered for him which looked freezer burned). Would def come eat here again if I lived in the area. That said, the strip mall it's in isn't very nice. Smelled like raw sewage in the parking lot the day we were there.

A "hole in the wall" with some of the best Ethiopian food I have had. Excellent and speedy service, quality ingredients and authentic flavors made for a great dinner. Place is what it is. You go there for the food and the kind service. I could not recommend this place enough. A true gem just off downtown SLC.

This was one of the best meals I have had in quite some time. Ethiopian cuisine had been on my radar to try to for quite some time. Whenever I travel out west I tend to be disappointed by the food. I find it all to be the same and sub-par. The reviews of this restaurant were positive so I decided to give it a go and I am so happy I did. I got the vegetarian combo which had all the vegan dishes on one plate so I could try everything. Everything tasted so good and flavorful and different. It was filling, but I also felt GOOD afterwards. I loved eating with my hands and the overall experience of the restaurant. The baklava (with pistachios) was absolutely amazing. I would absolutely recommend this restaurant to anyone that's looking to get something satisfying and delicious outside of the burger/pasta/taco options. The hostess was also very kind and it started getting really crowded when I was leaving (about 5:30/6pm).

Very good Ethiopian food. We got the combo plate for two and we still had leftovers. Everything tasted great, but the beef tibs were my favorite. The server was very friendly and got us settled in with high chairs quickly upon request.

The staff were so friendly and the restaurant had cool vibes with its heavily painted interior. It's one of those transport you to Ethiopia style places. I got the vegetarian sampler and everything was great. I like really spicy so I just added a lot of berbere spice on it. Next time I'll see if they have mitmita to make it spicier. Also drank the Tej and enjoyed it. I will definitely be back next time I'm in Salt Lake. Highly recommend Mahider.

Very interesting worth the trip just to experience Ethiopian food. This restaurant was recommended to me by an Ethiopian Chef friend. The food was unique and interesting but may not be my niche but would recommend just for experience

First time trying Ethiopian food and this was a treasure in salt lake. Service was quick and friendly and the staff were quick to suggest what to try for new diners. Food itself is was as described on the menu. We had the the ater kik which was very mild in flavor but the turmeric seasoning was as the real star. We also had the shiro wot which was the better or the two as it was slightly more flavorful but yet still satisfying mild. The tomato is definitely the most over powering flavor in it. It was also my first time trying Injera which is a sponge like sour flat bread. I would say it's slightly more sour than sourdough bread in flavor. I would probably suggest rice substitute for those like me who aren't acquired to the sour flavored breads. Overall a cute little restaurant that definitely gives off a communal feel and the food and service is was good. Staff were really helpful and friendly, which made the food experience more memorable.

SO good!! If you've never had Ethiopian food before, you are in for a treat. It's served with injera (a sour-ish flat bread made of an indigenous grain called teff). We ordered the combination platter for two and were absolutely stuffed by the end of it. The injera was super tasty and they give you a side basket of it in addition to the injera that serves as a plate for all the variety of dishes. Everything we ate was great! I especially loved the lentil and split pea dishes. We also ordered chicken sambusa which was pretty filling and really crispy. Unfortunately, they were out of the Ethiopian beers and wines, but I'd love to try that next time. Overall, highly recommend :D

If you read my reviews, you'll know I swear by Yelp. There will always be a one or two star review, but if the average is 4.5 or higher, with a good number of reviews, we will go for it. We have never been steered wrong on dining. And Mahider is no exception. Based on the reviews and since we had never actually had Ethiopian food, we went with A Taste of Mahider. Oh. My. Word. So much food. So much flavor. It was amazing. It's not much to look at from the outside (it's in a small strip mall), but the food is completely worth it. And the staff was friendly, humorous and attentive. Just go there if you haven't already.

I think this one of the best Ethiopian food I have ever had being that I am a driver and I travel all over United States. Any chance I get to Come to Salt Lake it's a must stop to get your Ethiopian fix. They are every courteous and friendly. Great customer service and nice atmosphere. I always order the Taste of Mahaider. Get a little taste of everything.

This place is 100% spot on incredible!!! I order the veg combo and it's always absurdly amazing. It's enough for two people unless I haven't eaten all day. If I'm starving, I'll kill the entire thing and go full food coma. The flavors are truly unreal. There's no "best" and there's no "last". It's all equally extraordinary. I don't know what else to say. #getsome

I was in the mood for something other than American food or Middle Eastern and I remembered there is a large Ethiopian diaspora in Salt Lake City so I decided to look for a restaurant and found Mahadir. The restaurant itself is in a little strip mall with ample parking (although I took an Uber). The first thing I look for when I enter an Ethiopian restaurant is the presence of Ethiopian diners because that is an immediate indication of the quality of the food and I was pleased to see a table of young Ethiopians having dinner so that held promise. I was promptly and warmly welcomed and seated by the owner and I can say from experience that Ethiopians are known for being very hospitable and friendly. I ordered the siga wot (beef in berbere sauce) and doro tibs (boneless chicken) which arrived on a traditional plate with injera. The injera was fresh and not bitter at all and the siga wot immediately hit the spot. The chicken was excellent too but for me it was certainly the beef that got my taste buds. Service was good and the owner was very attentive and it was appreciated. More so this is a family owned restaurant and I am a huge supporter of family owned businesses. I highly recommend this restaurant and look forward to returning on my next overnight in Salt Lake City.

This is a great place to eat. If you have not tried Ethiopian food, ask for the sampler that I posted in the picture. Their tea is great as well. Nice people, nice place, good food, worth a try.

Delightful. Delicious. Refreshing from the usual SLC scene. I felt transported from the mundane "new american" cauliflower and Brussel sprouts at every other location in town.

This was my first time eating Ethiopian food. The food and service at this restaurant was excellent. We ordered a platter of different dishes. All were delicious although I could have had some of the dishes a bit spicier. the coffee is to die for!! Our waiter explained each dish and how to eat the dishes (with your hands, scooping up the food with the Injera bread. A fun experience that I cant wait to try again!

Seriously top tier! Definitely one of the most enjoyable restaurant experiences I've had in Utah. We ordered the meat and veggie combo - huge portion and a great deal for the four of us. The service was polite and attentive. I'd also recommend trying the Ethiopian coffee, super rich and fragrant.

Wow! This place is fantastic. Today my boyfriend and I tried this restaurant for the first time and it was AMAZING! We got the Veggie Sambusas and the Taste of Mahider Platter and the flavor was spot on. All of the different meats and wot blended perfectly together and everything was so full of flavor. The sambusas had the perfect amount of spice and the lentil filling was very flavorful and all of the spices complimented each other perfectly with the sauce. Not only was the food terrific, the employees were also really wonderful; Very friendly and kind, and had a very positive attitude. The atmosphere of this restaurant is very relaxing and cozy! I will definitely keep coming back here and I can positively say it is one of my favorite dishes I have eaten, not to mention it is at a very affordable price point and filling. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of coming here.

Wtf is this?? $20 for a half full unseasoned bowl of meat??? SLC literally sucks with all cultural food. I just went to the only other Ethiopian spot here and they had a bad attitude and this one?? Wtf. I'm so passed I should've gotten Indian food.

Yum. Truly just delicious, hearty food. We love getting their 'taste of mahider.' It's a little sample of everything delicious!

I LOVE MAHIDER! I have been here many times and have always received kind, attentive, and consistent service. I order the vegetarian combination every time I go because I can never pick just one entree, I love all of their vegan/vegetarian options all too much! The serving size is large and they always give plenty of Injera. I love this restaurant and the people who work there and will always recommend it to anyone looking to try something new! In my picture I had already nibbles away at some of it and the extra injera is not pictured in the photo as well (-:

Very kind and quick service. Delicious food. Love everything about this place. SLC gem.

I'd been wanting to try Ethiopian food for years and I finally did in 2021. I often drove by Mahider and its colorful sign. It's in a plaza right off State St. that has a couple other restaurants, but those are stories for another day. I'll start this review off by saying the staff there was so sweet and kind, they added to a very pleasant experience. We started off with sambusas, which are similar to the Indian samosa but they have a little thinner of a dough. Very yummy. I liked the sauce served with them too. There were three of us and we all wanted to try the taste of Mahider. They had at least a couple size options of it, and we probably got the one too big, but each of us had some leftovers for the next day. I loved the variety of colors, flavors, and textures. It was my first time having and seeing injera bread. It looked like a basket of hand towels rolled at first glance. I LOVED the texture. So soft and spongey, kind of like a crepe, but fluffier. I didn't notice at first, because of all the flavors combined, but it's a little sour too. Just FYI. I did google about it and teff, the grain used to make it, is jam-packed with nutrients and no other grain on earth has more fiber per serving. I'm glad it's healthy because I ate A LOT. I just wish they had the Ethiopian Meade wine in stock when I visited, but I will be back!

My friend Lei and I have been coming here for the last few years and it has been consistently excellent. The food is delicious: I recommend the Siga Wot. The service is warm and friendly, and the ambience is relaxed. Sleshi, the owner makes you feel welcome in his restaurant. We love Mahider!