Muzita Abyssinian Bistro

Absolutely delightful. Came here a few times, food was great every time. And the novelty (i.e. you have to eat with your hands) was fun for my friends’ first time experience. I love the spices and the flavor of the food! I don’t know much about their food culture but I got a briefing every single time by the waiter. He is very friendly and humorous! Would definitely still go back.

This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in San Diego as a vegetarian/vegan. The quality is always top notch. The servings are the right size and the staff is friendly. I’ve tried a lot of heir dishes. This time we had Kantisha Kikwa and the Mama’s fool and they were both delicious. The Timitimo red lentil side is so tasty but my favorite is the lettuce salad, it’s soooo delicious. They are always short staffed so service can be a little slow, even to get a host to seat us at a table. It would be wonderful if they could hire more staff!

I normally would have emailed management directly, but since there is no contact email listed on Muzita Abyssinian Bistro’s website, I’m leaving this review instead. Our experience on August 30 around 12:30 p.m. was extremely disappointing. It took nearly 15 minutes before the server, who was also bartending, even brought water or took our order. On a hot day, the waters had no ice, and I eventually had to get up multiple times to refill them myself. When I asked to leave a pitcher at our table, I was told they only pour drinks for guests, which set the tone for the rest of the visit. Service remained inattentive throughout. We waited over 45 minutes for our food, had to ask multiple times for plates and utensils (and were only given four for a party of six), and even waited far too long for berbere sauce we requested early on. Someone in our group ordered a Coke that was flat, and when we mentioned it, the server argued it was fine. In my experience, restaurants usually don’t change CO₂ tanks proactively, only after customers complain, and serving a flat soda simply reinforced how little care was given. When the food arrived, it was wrong and poorly prepared. We had specifically asked for no mushrooms due to a severe allergy, but mushrooms were in the Zigni Siga (see photo). This is a serious food safety concern. We also asked for the dish to be mild so children could eat it, but it came out extremely spicy and the beef was very tough. On top of that, $6 for about two tablespoons of rice and $5 for the same amount of cucumber yogurt felt unreasonable. Finally, when we raised these issues, the server’s response came across as dismissive and condescending. We even asked early on for the automatic gratuity for six people to be removed, yet it was still charged. Between the poor service, food safety mistakes, dismissive attitude, and unreasonable pricing, this was one of the worst dining experiences we’ve had in San Diego. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and improves training, because guests deserve far better.

Fantastic food from Ethiopia. The owner has been at it for 17 years and his food is truly home cooked food from his family for generations. Great atmosphere and amazing service.

I have allergies and called beforehand to see if they could accommodate. They said they could. They then served us a dish that had one of my allergens throughout it. They replaced it, but the allergen dish stayed on the same plate as the rest of the good so it limited what I could actually eat. The replacement came ready to-go because it took so long to cook. Both meat dishes were tough. Trying to make a meat stew in 40 minutes that needs hours to cook thoughtfully proved unsuccessful. Was not easy to eat. Service was not even bare minimum. Absent drinks, then wrong drinks, then warm water only. We were there for about 2 hours. We went most of the meal lacking what we ordered because the server did not check in it remember things we asked for. I definitely would not go back or recommend. The collard greens were good... If you order a dish, order that to-go. They do have gluten free injera, but only sometimes so call ahead to make sure it's available that day.

Great opportunity to try Ethiopian food. Make sure to ask if you don't know what items in the menu are. I understand the tradition to eat with hands, but injera was not strong enough it was a bit doey not sour tasting at all. Beef was way too spicy. The sambusas and lentils were great. Great first experience.

Delicious! Lived everything we got! Couldn't finish 2 entries between 2 of us. Lovely cocktail, good wine options.

I've never had Ethiopian food before so this was all new to me. The waiter was super patient with us and explained the different dishes and how you should eat them. He brought out a sampling of the side dishes for us to try. I absolutely loved the mushroom over spaghetti squash starter, the mushrooms were well seasoned. We also tried the cubed chicken dish (really tasty) and the beef which was not quite as good but ok. The lentils were also very good. I appreciate that the waiter brought us forks and side plates though I know that's not the norm. I just can't eat that much bread without being overly full. I'd definitely come back!

Another great time at this place! Made a reservation for Monday night at 6:45pm and they were able to seat us early. Ordered the pan fried mushrooms, shiro+kantisha, and a side of stewed vegetables. We ordered everything in mild spice, just a little kick. Everything came pretty quickly to the table. The pan fried mushrooms did it again! The chunky mushrooms had a thick meaty texture, flavorful seasoning, and also came with bits of fried injera which tasted almost like bacon! We also destroyed the shiro (red lentils). I really liked the texture of the lentils. Everything else was just as delicious and we had extra food for lunch the next day. The lighting and mood was ambiant. Very nice date night location. Has indoor and outdoor seating. The wait staff was very knowledgeable in terms of how the food is made, what it's made with, and relative spice levels. My plant-based whole-grain oriented MIL loved it so much she asked for a menu to keep. The waiter even circled all the items we ordered and marked which dishes are/are not spicy-adjustable. Prices were reasonable. Just yum yum!!

Earthy feeling place with a cuisine you don't normally find. I think they were a little short staffed, which is why service is slow. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. Did not see any heat lamps (was a bit chilly). The food itself was fresh but on the salty side, perhaps because the injera bread has a milder flavor? They also did not serve utensils, and I had to explicitly ask for some. Again, I assume this is because the food is traditionally eaten with your hands and the injera. I got the sagi which was a good sized portion.

I ordered to go Beggie Kilwa. I only ate 1/2 and was full. It's a lot of food. The lamb was very flavorful. I ordered mild and you could taste the spice but it isn't hot. I just wish the meat was a little more tender. I got the lentils for my side and it was delicious. Even the side salad was good! I do like that they offer gluten free injera on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Parking in this area can be hard so give yourself some extra time. Also it is next to Plumeria just on the other side of the alley ( my gps was trying to direct me to the alley)

It's a cute little bungalow restaurant. Business seemed a bit slow Thursday evening as one or two other parties were there when we went. If you're a planner, they do offer reservations through Yelp. Parking is horrendous; it took a good 25 minutes to find street parking two blocks away. But my god, the food is excellent. - Pan Roasted Mushrooms | Comes with injera (Ethiopian flatbread). And while the roasted mushrooms were tender and quite tasty, the injera did it for me. Loved the sourdough flavors while texturally resembling a fluffy pancake. I kept looking around and thinking, what else can I roll into the injera? So. Addicting. - Sambusas | Similar to an empanada, these pastries are stuffed with vegetables and are rich in flavors. - Shiro + Beggie | A big ass circular pan with delicious cubed leg of lamb, salad, vegetable mixture, and awaze sauce. It all sits on injera and rolled injeras surround the pan edge. A bowl of shiro (stew) comes with this dish. The textures and spicy flavors combined make for a unique experience. And yes, tear off a piece of injera to pick up your food with it. Don't pass it up! It's worth trying. - Mango Martini | A specialty cocktail made up of soju vodka and mango puree. It was sweet and balanced our entree perfectly. I so want to go back soon. This is my first time trying Ethiopian cuisine and I. Am. In. Love.

We have been coming here since they opened. The owner, Abel, is the sweetest kindest man you will ever meet. The service is always friendly and prompt. The restaurant is small so definitely make a reservation. It's a bit like eating in someone's home. There are a few pet friendly outdoor tables as well as some indoor. The food is so yummy. Best part is you get to eat with your hands. If you don't like sharing a meal this is not the place for you. We always order the crispy injera with spicy lentils along with the begi and siga kilwa. It's like a delicious stir fry and comes with a yummy salad and a side of your choice. I recommend the lentils! Their chocolate pot du crème is also fabulous!!

Loved our communal meal and the service was fantastic. Vegetarian options were available so we ordered 3 vegetarian and 2-3 meat options, I think. Most were too spicy for me but I have a super sensitive palette. Everyone enjoyed the experience! Seating was quite cozy/snug and it was very warm inside, but the space is lovely.

Delicious food and great service, will definitely come back! Street parking in this area can be tough so if you have a reservation or are meeting friends just give yourself enough time to find parking ;).

When my son comes to visit from Hawaii we go out for Ethiopian food. This was our first time here. There were 4 of and we ordered 1 starter of Sambusa and 3 main dishes of Dohro Alitcha Kilwa, Beggie Kilwa, Fool Silsi and a couple of sides and it came with a salad too. Such a fun dinner experience. No utensils are used. Their motto "Throw away the Fork!!!" You break off a piece of the rolled injera and scoop up from the plate of food. Everything was delicious. I really loved the vegetable dishes. The lamb dish had a little kick to it. All of the food is on top of a large round injera that you also it. Our waiter Ismael was wonderful and checked on us often. Four of us ate and had more than enough to eat and with one beer before tax and tip it was only $91.

It was my first time trying this type of food. We went on a Friday around 6:00. We didn't have a reservation, but I would suggest getting one if you want to go any later than that on a weekend. When we left there were a lot of people waiting. I forgot our server's name, but he was very welcoming and helpful. He walked us through the menu, and gave some suggestions. Between 4 of us, we ended up getting the Shiro + Kantisha, Mama's Fool, whichever of the beef dishes was the spicy one, all 3 side options, and the veggie sambusas. Everything was super flavorful, some things very spicy, but our server let us know if things were spicy. You can order more injera (the bread that you scoop all the food up with) at no extra charge. That was much needed for all the food that came out. I do wish there were utensils for when I started getting full. Also to scoop up some of the sauce drenched injera. I didn't need anymore bread, but I still wanted a few more bites of the entrees. It's ok though. I enjoyed the cultural aspect of the shared food and no utensils. They do have a good drink selection as well - alcoholic or non-alcoholic . The owner came by and chatted for a bit. He is very passionate. He also ended up bringing us a box and suggested eating the rest with eggs for breakfast. I did do that, and it was delicious as well. I would definitely return. If you have never tried Ethiopian or Eritrean food, go for it! Lots of delicious flavors and friendly staff.

I went to this restaurant over five years ago and was so delighted to come back. I brought three friends that hadn't been before and the flavors of the food were enjoyed by all. Also, their cocktails are really refreshing. I can't wait to come back again and I definitely won't be waiting five years!

Delicious food that feels like mommas home cooking. Ambiance feels like I'm a guest in someone's home. The staff was friendly and helpful with the menu. The heaters in the patio saved my freezing toes. The only downside is no parking lot so you have to find street parking. We ate here on a weekend night so had to park a few blocks away.

Love everything here.. From the food to the cozy atmosphere and friendly service. Get the mushroom appetizer,berberi with lentils,lamb is my fav. Enjoy:)

Not bad. Good sized portions. Could have used a bit more seasoning. The meat was just a bit bland, especially the chicken. The lamb was much more tasty. Veggies were excellent love the neighborhood and vibe. Great service

Know this up front: there are no plates or utensils, all eating is done with your hands. If that doesn't bother you then you need to get in this place to enjoy a huge meal full of flavor and spices and spongy injira. We picked one chicken, one beef, and one lamb dish to share which all came with a vegetable side. It was all served on one large round plate and rolls of injira on the side. It was a great way to have a close dinner with my family. We started off the meal with some Sambusas which we delicious - the chicken one was great and had a little kick to it! Definitely recommend this place!

Everything is delicious! Fresh and spiced to perfection. Friendly, fast service with great recommendations. We loved sitting on the heated outdoor patio.

Good service, great outdoor patio vibes, and yummy food. I've tried a few Ethiopian places in North Park already and this is the cutest place to dine in. We ordered the shiro + kantisha, the as you wish, sambusas, and a few drinks. Drinks were ok but food was awesome! We ordered all this for 3 people and we were stuffed. They really excel at the veggie sides here. If you're craving more of the meat sides, I would recommend Awash though for their meat combo.

I was hoping to try Muzita for the longest time, and I finally got a free weekend to come in! Reading reviews about making a reservation definitely came in handy as it gets fairly busy here! - PARKING - Street parking...whereever you're lucky enough to find it! It gets packed during peak meal hours, so just be aware if you happen to make a reservation to give yourself some time to scope out a parking spot! - SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT - They have a nice little patio area with zippable windows, but also heating lamps for cooler nights. Inside there's a handful of tables seating from 2-4 people, and one larger private nook that could seat 6 comfortably. The waitress asked us if it was our first time, and since it was, she walked us through the style of the restaurant and the most popular items to order. This helped us a lot as we didn't know much coming in! Muzita is a family style, no-utensil eating experience. Everything you consume is alongside their Injera Bread, which is a sour spongy pancake/flatbread/wrap. - FOOD - Pan Roasted Mushrooms ($14.00): When this came out, the fragrance was so tempting to immediately eat! The Roasted Spaghetti Squash was interesting to have alongside the Mushrooms and the Injera, but overall I didn't think the flavoring on this dish was anything unique. Still good and got our appetites going. Sambusas ($15.00): Our waitress actually told us she wanted to place one of the appetizers onto our entree plate, and decided the Sambusas would be the better choice. They split the three flavors in half, which made it easy for me and my boyfriend to share! There's a Stewed Vegetables in Tumeric Sambusa, a Braised Spinach and Collard Greens Sambusa, and a Braised Chicken Sambusa. My favorite was the Braised Chicken one, but they were all delicious! The crispy shell was unlike any Sambusa I've had in the past! Although crispy and crunchy, it wasn't oily at all! Siga Kilwa ($23.00): This was one of the most popular entrees, alongside the Lamb equivalent. However since my boyfriend doesn't eat Lamb, we opted for the Beef. Everything is served on top of a large Injera sheet, and they give additional rolls as well. I enjoyed the Red Lentils a lot, but I felt like the Beef itself wasn't very seasoned. Still, the meat was tender and there was a good portion. Towards the end, the Injera sourness got a little overwhelming. This portion along with the two appetizers was more than enough for two of us. - OVERALL - A fun and unique eating experience that I'm glad I finally got to try! I do think there's an acquired taste to these dishes, but if you're adventurous and williing to try, I would say Muzita is worth coming to at least once!

Had been craving Ethiopian food for a while and a few my friends recommended Muzita. The restaurant is very low-key and unassuming, with outdoor and indoor seating and a bar, service was fine (it seemed like they only had one server working on the week day night we went) but the food was fantastic! We got all vegetarian dishes - mama's fool with timtimo side. And shiro + kantisha with alitcha atakilti. The fava beans based dish (mama's fool) was slightly underwhelming, the beans a little undercooked but the timtimo and shiro+kantisha was FANTASTIC. Super flavorful! The kantisha was a bit oily but not overwhelmingly so and sometimes, that little extra oil is warranted - I would certainly get this dish again! Highly recommend this place!

Came in on a Wednesday after a grueling workout and I was excited to check this place out after reading all the reviews. It's a cute and cozy spot right across from Bahn Thai in the ever side popping area of University Heights. I absolutely despise parking in the area because it's street parking and minimal..... the things we do for good food. We ordered the mushrooms and let me tell you it was the best dish I've had. I loved the crispy bits which gave it a nice crunch. I forgot what I ordered but it was the meat and veggie combo with injera and tbh I was expecting more flavor from it. The presentation was beautiful but I felt the flavor was lacking. I would come back for the mushrooms alone if I was willing to spend $$$ on mushrooms

Amazing Ethiopian food. Very Authentic food and lovely customer service. Can't wait to go back there

I had an incredible introduction to Ethiopian food thanks to this memorable experience. My friend took charge of the ordering, allowing me to fully indulge in each dish without worrying about specifics, including knowing what anything is called! Just show the server and say, I want all of what is in these pictures, 'cause everything was lip smackin' good. From our discussion that really sounded like, ummm, that's so good, what's this? WOW, did you taste this yet, oof spicy but so good, that wasn't what I expected, let me get done more! We barely touched the salad...oh my, this salad dressing is bomb...can't believe I just ate all the salad lol...I know we had some chicken, beef, cabbage, carrots, lentils, chickpeas, salad, appetizers that reminded me of empanadas...So flavorful, spices on point, so many different textures. Oh my! Just goodness through and through. It was a whole experience eating without plates/utensils and only 'bread'. The music and vibe was great and so was the service. I asked for a flavored lemonade and they added pomegranate to it...I wish I had some now...I wish I could go back with my hubby tonight but I'm no longer in San Diego so, yea. Something to look forward to in the future because I'll definitely return!

A COZY lil place located in the heart of University Heights on Park. It feels like you're walking into a house and it really gives it a home cooked meal type of feeling despite how busy it can get on a weekend evening. Would highly recommend making a reservation in advance on yelp - it was super easy and I was able to do it just an hour before. People walking in had to wait close to an hour for a seat. They've got heaters inside in case you get cold too! For dinner for 2 we ordered a side of sambusas, which are very similar to samosas. They come with 6 total crispy sambusas of 3 different kinds, all of which were excellent. The entrees are definitely all sharing size and we went with the Dorho Alitcha Kilwa which was a chicken based dish and ordered the red lentils on the side. Everything on the plate was amazing and had a wonderful medley of spices balanced out by the mildly sour spongy injera. Highly recommend this place and would definitely come back again. Prepare yourself for difficult parking as usual in this area because it can be pretty popping on the weekend.

Came here after checking out the vintage sidewalk sale across the street, it seems quiet during the lunch hour, which we were happy with because the waiter was able to explain what all the dishes are on the menu for us noobs. I tried my best to memorize the names of the things we tried but unfortunately it has escaped by brain already. Which means I just need to come by more often. Scrumptious pix, below. I recommend the mushroom appetizer. And be sure to come here hungry, it's very filling, especially the bread, which also poses as your utensils (as you eat with your hands). Fun!

I ordered the shiro and hamli through Uber Eats and it was amazing! So flavorful with the perfect spice level! It came with plenty of injera as well. I ordered a side of lentils that I didn't actually enjoy...but I the shiro and hamli were plenty without the lentils. I have eaten at this restaurant with my husband in the past and it is beautiful, and service was great. I found the staff to be friendly and accommodating. After this most recent order for delivery, they have definitely secured me as a lifelong customer!

One of the best restaurants I have been to in a while. We didn't have a reservation and it was pretty busy but they were able to seat us within 20 mins. We ordered the sambusas, Shiro + Beggie, and the Dorho Alitcha Kilwa (chicken dish). This was the perfect amount of food for the 3 of us. It's all shared bites and you eat with your hands with the Injera bread they give you. They made sure to get us more Injera when we were running out too. We also tried some of the honey wine, which I fell in love with. The service to get our order in took a little while but the food came out at a normal pace. I will absolutely be coming back to try more of their entrees. Great place to go with a group to have a nice dinner.

The BEST! A must eat at when in San Diego! The food is filled with flavor and the ambience is such a VIBE! My fav thing to get is the shiro because the flavor is just too good.

I really enjoyed my time at Muzita. I would ringgit in my top five restaurants that I've enjoyed in San Diego. I had to try the samboosa's as well as the lamb, curry and one of the chicken spreads. I'm forgetting the exact names of the dishes, but everything was season to perfection and was served piping hot. I definitely would recommend coming to Muzita with a group of friends to share an enjoyable dinner.

First time having Ethiopian food. I didn't know what to expect - basically you eat with your hand by using the bread to wrap around the entree. Everything was so flavorful and the bread is surprisingly tart but it grows on you. I also tried Tej for the first time and loved how easily I could drink it compared to the beers from breweries we had in north park. The service was a bit slow after being seated quickly, but they had a full house so it didn't bother us much. The table we were seated at and most others I saw felt cozy and private, maybe because they were combined due to large parties, but I think that's necessary to have with the large portions. Excited to try more Ethiopian food now.

Tried this place for the first time for a friend's birthday. The vibe is causal, and the staff was nice. The food was also good. My favorite thing was the lamb and lentils. The only thing that was disappointing was that they forgot about our drinks. They took our drink order and then came back and took our food order (at least 10-15 minutes difference). Our appetizers came out but not our drinks and a large party who came after us already received a bottle drink. I give the waiter credit because when I flagged him down for something else, he noticed our drinks were missing and told us he'll check on them. The waitress who took our food order came over an apologize and indicated that the two of them had a miscommunication on who was making the drinks and will be making them right away. However, it was disappointing because they still made 2 cocktails for other people before they made our drinks and it took a while for it to come out as well. I do want to mention the restaurant wasn't packed when we were seated and placed our order. Overall it was good, would give the place another try.

I came here with my wife and friends by mistake. The place was packed but we were seated within 10 minutes without reservations. I had no idea that there was an Ethiopian restaurant here but quickly realized that it was actually not Ethiopian but Eritrean instead. Eritrea is the neighboring country to Ethiopia. We ordered siga kilwa, tsebid dorbo and shiro plus hamli. My wife is Ethiopian and she was very upset with the taste of the food because she said it was bad copy of her food. I liked half of the food but if you are expecting Ethiopian food, it is not. The service was good but the food was ok. Since I know what real Ethiopian food tastes like, I can't come here again but it was a nice attempt.

The server was very friendly, polite, and attentive, and accomidating for our 2 young children. I rarley tip over 20% but i felt like he deserved extra. The food was amazing. My wife and I have been to many Ethiopian restaurants before, and the food at this one is among the best, The spices were just the right amount to be flavorful without being overpowering. The honey wine was also very good. It was my wife's birthday and they surprised us with a complimentary desert at the end of the meal. Prices are reasonable for the amount of food you get.

I've never tried Ethiopian food and was completely delighted by trying this place! 1. You will eat with your hands 2. Portions are huge 3. Food is hearty, but felt so healthy with the fresh ingredients 4. The hospitality was phenomenal. Wonderful customer service 5. You might need a reservation or will most likely be waiting in line I came here with a friend who is plant-based. I didn't recognize any of the food that was on the menu, so we told the server that we just want something plant based and he said he'll make the perfect dish. I'm still not sure what we ordered, but everything was to die for! The dish was HUGE, and can easily be split by 3-4 people in my opinion (although the two of us licked the bowl clean lol) It came on a thin fluffy airy type of pancake/tortilla and 4 different foods that you eat with the pancake. So delicious and so flavorful. I am now a huge fan of Ethiopian food!

Omg I never wrote a review for this place??? I've been here quite a few times. I LOVE Ethiopian food and have brought my friends here. Each one of them only had amazing things to say. The service is excellent and the food is SO flavorful. The meats are tender, the veggies are so seasoned. It's just an overall fun experience to eat with your hands too. The ambiance is laid back. Only downside is the parking. I hate street parking. But because of the food and service being so amazing, I suck it up lol.

ATMOSPHERE A little dark and moody, great for a date. SERVICE Cheerful, knowledgeable staff. FOOD About 10 years ago, I lived in walking distance and ate my way through the entire menu. Everything was always excellent, and even though I was a broke college kid, this was where I wanted to spend my money (and my time, the people are really great!). Visiting again so many years later, I was thrilled to see this place made it thorugh covid. My heart jumped when I saw the owner--Abel is still there! The family business I remember is still going strong. And it is a true family business: the recipies were brought over from Ethiopia when the owner's mom immigrated, and he and his wife work there. And the recipies, OMG. Like I said, I ate my way through the menu before and coming back all these years later, it was just as good as I remembered! I'm mostly vegetarian now, and loved the options. But there is plenty here for meat lovers too. Don't forget to try the honey wine! OVERALL Every time I am in SD, I will be eating here. Maybe multiple times per trip. Great place run by amazing people. (Also, this review is from my trip in February--sorry it took me so long to post, I was locked out of my account! But I fixed it.)

My first Ethiopian foodie experience was a successful one! Came with a group of friends and shared a few dishes. Not sure the names of them all...but we got a chicken potato dish and this delightful vegan stew. Everything was incredibly flavorful and served in a fun family style! Be ready to eat with your hands and don't wear white clothes! I made that mistake and left with a tomato stain on my white pants...it was worth it. This is a quaint and cute, homey feeling place. Entrees are $17-25 but come with lots of sides and crepe like bread so is totally enough for 2 people to share!

I absolutely love this place! My wife and I had come down to San Diego on a Friday night after work and wanted to have a nice dinner date. We arrived at around 8:30pm or so and the restaurant was busy! I knew we should have made reservations but since we were driving in from LA I wasn't sure what time we were going to arrive. We were very lucky someone did not show up for their reservation and they were friendly and able to seat us right away. I really appreciated all of the vegetarian options. We ordered the Shiro + kantisha with the red lentils and green cabbage side and the kantisha tsebhi. We had also ordered some tea but they were out of it so I'll have to try that next time! The food took a while to come out but we knew the restaurant was incredibly busy and we were happy to just get a table. The restaurant it self was cute, small, and intimate, it was perfect for nice date. The food came out hot and fresh and we dug in immediately. It so was good! All of the food had so much spice and amazing flavors! Beware though some of it was very spicy! I didn't mind the spicy but I know it's not for everyone. The injera was so good and I ended up eating most of it. We weren't able to finish all of our food and needed to pack it up to go and I wanted some more injera to take home with my left overs so we asked for a little bit extra to pack up, they were awesome and filled up a little box of injera to go for me. I really enjoyed the food here and will definitely be back! I highly recommend checking this place out!

This restaurant sits in one of my favorite little neighborhoods in San Diego and for a VERY VERY long time I've passively avoided it as "I'll get to it eventually". Ethiopian food isn't something I normally seek and it does take a little goading to get me to have it for dinner but the scene out here is amazing whenever I've tried it and I have to say, Muzita takes the crown for the best Ethiopian I've had so far! The ambiance feels intimate and the staff are incredibly warm and helpful for folks who have yet to dive into this unique cuisine that is meant to be eaten with your hands. The meats and vegetables are cooked perfectly with just the right amount of seasonings. Don't sleep on the veggie dishes! I basically licked my plate clean and was absolutely satisfied with my food. Will definitely be back!

10/10 I highly recommend this restaurant. Food was amazingly delicious. So much flavor. The perfect restaurant for a birthday dinner. Spacious enough to accommodate large groups and intimate at the same time. Such friendly staff, our waitress patiently explained the menu items to my group and made great recommendations. You Must order Spiced pot of tea!! Mushroom appetizer Sambusas

Always delicious food. Bathroom situation is terrible as there is only 1 shared bathroom in a place you eat with your hands.

Good size portions for a pretty decent price if you know how to order right. Some of the best food I've had in a while

Food- The food here is absolutely AMAZING. To begin, my boyfriend brought me here because I wanted to try African food and it DELIVERED. Everything is family style and you eat with your hands traditionally. I ordered the beggie kilwa, the pan roasted mushrooms, bamya, and the tintino for our side. I highly recommend everything that we ordered. Service- The service was actually so amazing. I had the pleasure of meeting the owner Abel and his wife who were so sweet. Abel is super funny and friendly. They both carefully explained the menu to us and gave us recommendations which we loved. They brought out samples of the sides: timtino,caulo, and Alitcha atakilti. Not sure if they do this all the time but i appreciated it so much. We were able to try the different sides before we committed to a full size portion. Ambiance- The restaurant is very cute and quaint. I sat outside on the patio and it was so nice especially because of the heat lamps.

The food was excellent! We went with 6 of us and ordered 6 different meals and had it family style and there was nothing that was not delicious. This was my first time trying this kind of food. Be prepared that it is fully a cultural experience without utensils or plates. We will be going back for certain.

I was really craving traditional Ethiopian food and my friend recommended this place. After I browsed the menu and decided on the shiro plus kantisha . Now I was expecting the traditional all in 1 container on injera with and roll of injera on the side. When I received my to go, I had gotten 4 different containers which I thought was interesting, but still hopeful. Once home, I realized that my dish was some sort of stew, which was good, but wished the menu would have stated that as I probably would've opted for something else. Overall, as unexpected as it was it was pleasant and the staff was sweet.

Their food is so good that I would drive from Long Beach to San Diego for a meal. It has been consistently delicious for the past 8 years, no lie!

We come here when we crave Ethiopian food. The patio is a nice relaxing area to eat in and people watch

The food, service, and ambiance are delightful. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others.

Dark and cozy, comfortable rather than swanky. Food aromas from the sidewalk had me salivating; food was even better than it smelled. Perfect injera, phenomenal berebere spices, slow braised meats, rich and earthy lentils, and the fried okra appetizer was surprisingly delicious, light and crisp. Take the house recommendation, as we did: for two people, one entree, one side, one appetizer. It was a perfect meal. And the service felt personal, like a woman feeding us from her own kitchen, by her own capable hands... with pride. One note: only beer and wine currently available. Small but decent selection.

Heard a lot about this restaurant and how much food they serve you. This was my first time going here so I'll just break down how my experience went this evening. The Mrs and I went here on a Friday evening and the restaurant is on the northern portion of University Heights. On a Friday evening you better believe trying to find parking will be a hassle. After finally finding a parking spot we walked up to the restaurant and observed that it was clearly a busy night for Muzita. We had a reservation for 7:30 and arrived at 7:20. Upon walking into the restaurant which was packed, we saw that there were only three servers running around non stop trying to serve some 60-70 guests. One of the servers saw us standing by the door and as they rushed by said "we'll be right with you". Another ten minutes past and we were checked in and asked to stand by while they cleaned a table. After being seated and provided menus we knew we had to decide what we wanted quickly as we had a feeling service would be quite slow this evening. After fifteen minutes our server finally got to us and we felt almost rushed to order. They didn't first ask if we wanted anything to drink and just wanted us to order the food. We put our drink orders in along with our food. We ordered the beef, lamb and prawn dishes with three sides. I found it interesting that the server stopped us mid order to inform us that the amount of food we ordered was too much. We still orders the three dishes as we were hungry and wanted to try a little of everything. I was excited at first however when they said it was too much as I figured the serving portions were going to be plentiful. After ordering drinks and food we sat by as the waiting game began. Fifteen minutes went by before our drinks got to us and that was the last time we saw our server until our good came out another twenty minutes later. So a grand total of 35 minutes for our food to get to our table. When the dishes came out put our empty drink glasses at the edge of the table in hopes that we would be asked if we wanted refills. Not once for the rest of the night were we ever offered refills or seen again. Now for the food. This where the two stars comes in. There was some good taste with the lamb. The seasonings that they used were nice. The beef was overcooked and tough sadly and thr prawns as well were overcooked and like rubber. As for the portions of food that we got.....laughable. They cubed the meat, but the cubes of meat were very small and only a small amount came with the dish. I actually counted that we got 10 small cubes of lamb, 9 small cubes of beef and 4 prawns. They forgot one of our sides and since they were zooming around everywhere we never got to ask them to bring it out. So the night was finally over after an hour and a half and $100 into dining. I was still hungry after only having 9 small cubes of meat and, some sides and a couple prawns. My overall thoughts....very overpriced for what you get, service was unfortunately terrible and they could really do with two more servers. In the end, I would pass on this restaurant. Perhaps it's different when it's not a busy night, but I'll leave that up to future guests to decide.

Muzita always meets my expectations. We've been coming here for years for celebrations or holidays, the staff is friendly and the food is always consistently good. This review was long overdue -Ken & Elva

Made a reservation prior for a work dinner. The food was good, and it was an interesting experience to both share food and eat with the Ethiopian bread - they don't do utensils or plates, so COVID-wary beware. We ordered the sambusas and teff encrusted bamya to share with the table, then my small group ordered the Dorho Alitcha Kilwa, Mama's Fresh Choice, and Beggie Kilwa. They each came with sides, so we got the timtimo, caulo, and alitcha atakilti. Wasn't sure what to expect, since the hostess told us that the ratio of 7 orders for the 10 of us would be good - I would instead recommend the ratio of 2:3, 3:4-5, etc. The fish and chicken were really good, but they really don't give you a lot of meat. I guess that's why they give you the greens as sides to fill you up, but might I suggest hand wipes to avoid getting tables/personal belongings dirty? I suggest the methodology of eating with your left hand so you can keep your right hand clean for tasks like responding to tests or drinking your water. Unfortunately, service was really slow as there was only one server - our reservation was at 6, we were seated at 6:30, we weren't able to place our orders until 7:30, and our food finally arrived at 8:15. It felt bad as she was literally the only person running around to attend to all the tables - and boy, were all the tables PACKED. Even though we made reservations, they seated us in the back near the kitchen door, and we had to pile to one side of the table as to not block the entryway for the kitchen staff.