Queen of Sheba Restaurant

Friendly service. Large portion size. Ethiopian coffee was good Selection varieties were good. Could have been spicier.

Moving reviews over from Yelp. I've been back a number of times and we really like this place. Originally published 6/7/18: Dishes are typical of what you find at other Ethiopian restaurants in the Midwest. I had a delicious vegetarian platter even though I'm only a vegetarian when dining in Indian and Ethopian restaurants. I also sampled the vegetarian sides that came on Allison S' platter that weren't represented on mine. I'm terrible with names but the green beans & carrots stood out as my favorite bite. The beans were cooked to the point where they had a little bite remaining but not so much as to be partially raw. My second favorite bite was the greens (not sure which green, there are several possibilities) with carrots. Again, not cooked to mush as it would be easy to do through inattention. I also enjoyed the slight sweetness that the carrots brought to both dishes. I don't get to Louisville often enough to need a favorite Ethiopian restaurant but this place would certainly do. As an added bonus, they are right next to KLOU.

Super Good food. Great people and the options are fantastic. Beautiful restaurant. Inside is well designed and not super loud. My waitress knew the menu and was very helpful.

JUST TAKE MY MONEY! 🔥🔥💯 The portions are generous and the prices are very reasonable. I had the lamb awaze tips - traditional style, it was delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant!

My husband and I were visiting from Philadelphia, where there are many delicious Ethiopian spots. However, Queen of Sheba is one of the best I’ve had. We had the lamb Sheba tips as part of the tips and vegetarian platter, the appetizer sampler, and the baklava. Everything was 10/10, especially the beef and potato dish that came with the platter. Our waitress was very sweet and helpful with recommendations. Additionally, the prices are great considering how high quality the food seems and the portions. Definitely a must try if you’re in Louisville!

I LOVED my first experience at Queen of Sheba. From the food to the service, everything was astounding. This is a must visit if you come to Louisville! I had the best service I’ve ever had in Louisville here at Queen of Sheba. My group had never had Ethiopian food before and our server took their time to kindly walk us through all of the different ordering options! We settled on two traditional style mixed platters, and by gosh was every single thing a home run. I tried at least 10 new dishes and each was amazing. This is a truly standout establishment with outstanding hospitality and food, it’s worth the visit!

This was my first experience with this type of food. I found it interesting. The portions were small. A lot smaller than I expected. However the price wasn't bad so that makes up for it. They said all the food cokes with a salad which ended up being about 20 pcs of shredded lettuce and a small pcs of tomato. Over all the food was decent I got to try 3 different meals being I was with 2 others. If you're looking for something different its worth a try. I would go back however it wasn't my favorite place it will be a while until I go again.

Food was absolutely amazing and the price is unbeatable especially for the various meats. Hearty seving size as well. Plenty of seating indoor and outdoor. No complaints at all. Definitely worth a visit if you're in town.

This is one of the best restaurants in Louisville in my opinion, amazing food and very reasonably priced. Only thing is the service was a little slow on refilling waters and bringing the check, but I think we came on a super busy night - Valentine's Day weekend, definitely will come back on a normal night and I'm sure the service would be perfect.

If you've been wanting to try Ethiopian food, this is the place. Go with a group so you can get a big spread and try a lot. Service is friendly and fast and the food is delicious and reasonably priced.

Food was fine, service was ok. Not so much as complaining with three stars, only that in times past it was memorable. Previous visits (over a couple of years ago to be honest), everyone in our group raved about the food and attentive service. Seems to have stepped down a bit.

Such a cool experience and delicious too! It was so fun getting educated about eating with my hands! Great variety on the menu for carnivores and vegetarians. And trust me, get the clay pot coffee! So good!!

I've been to Queen of Sheba several times over the years and I love that it's always consistent. They have a variety of dishes available on their menu and all of the entrees are served with injera - which is a sour dough flat bread. I wasn't sure that I would like the texture of this, but surprisingly I loved it. The portion sizes are huge and the flavors are great. I love that you can make reservations and they can accommodate large groups. The service is always spot on and the servers are super helpful in helping you navigate the menu. They also do takeout and are on DoorDash if eating in house isn't your thing.

Tried it a while back. It's vegetarian food options on bread. For the small portions and low overhead costs of the vegetarian food, large markup with prices way high. it wasn't worth the cost and the taste was mediocre. I always drive by and it never looks busy but to each their own. "One and done" no way on our return list. There are plenty of Indian buffets that also serve vegetarian.

Food. Service delicious. Great to sit outside or inside. Coffee takes long so order ahead. Well worth the meal

This place never disappoints. The portions are good, flavoring super tasty and price is right. I've enjoyed the atmosphere and service received every time I've dined here. I love the authenticity of the food and the preparation. Definitely a regular go to for me. The fact that it's healthy is also a plus.

Queen of Sheba is amazing! Right off the bat the staff was very friendly and attentive. I had the beef sambusas and YeAsa tips. The tilapia was cooked perfectly and both dishes were very flavorful. A new experience for me but I will definitely be back.

My favorite restaurant! I have to eat gluten free and most of the food here is already gf. They also have gf inerja option. Though I like to have mine over rice. Employees are great. Prices are great. One of our favorite date night locations.

I'm a huge fan of ethiopian food and this is one of the top Ethiopian places in Louisville. Fresh cooked, flavorful food!

Food good. Eat here. Bring friends. Do food thing. Come again. Rinse and repeat. The owner served us. What more do you need? Ambiance? Seriously, I would eat here everyday if my wife wasn't such a good cook. Gored Gored Rare. All day every day!!!!!

There is no dining experience that equals Ethiopian cuisine. Their service is superb, and presentation is inspired. Family style dining at its best.

Fully enjoyed both, best Ethiopian place we've been to in the states, and second to none in Kentucky. Our waitress was FANTASTIC. The place is family friendly, very relaxed environment but also a little intimate, music is not too loud to need to speak over. One of the most enjoyable eating out experience we've had in Louisville. We'll definitely be back to explore the more of the menu. Not pictured was the Sambusa - which was so good, texture, seasoning, presentation, temperature - so good .

First time having Ethiopian food and now I'm obsessed. Food was delicious, service was fantastic and we were waiting on as soon as we sat down. The restaurant itself was decorated very nice and it was fun to sit in the back room where your food is served in a weaved basket. So good I can't wait to go back!

Ventured out of my comfort zone to try this. Extremely flavorful, beautifully presented and reasonably priced. Unfortunately the dish I chose wasn't a flavor I preferred. But the crazy part is that the owners noticed this and insisted I not pay for the item. Thats not something you'd see hardly anywhere and they did it out of kindness and because they wanted me to have an enjoyable dining experience. Really appreciated the sentiment. Try this restaurant!!

This is a place I dream about regularly. The gored gored and veggie combo for 1 is my go to order if going with my husband. It's unreal. It's comfort food that you don't feel guilty about eating. I've never had a bad meal from here and during Covid I got takeout from here almost weekly in order to support this local business!

From customer service to the food. It was so amazing. The place is full of cheer and laughter. It's been like 5 years since I came here. Than I got out of the military. And I went back here because it brought back amazing memories. The place gave off amazing vibe. Come here if you wanna enjoy food.

Excellent food, great spongy injera and huge portions. You can sit traditional or at a usual table. The sambusas are well cooked, and the food is seasoned well. A must try.

I can't believe I'm only just now giving Queen of Sheba the first stars is deserves!! Ethiopian food is absolutely delicious, and Queen of Sheba is on the spot with everything they serve. I love the experience of eating food with my hands and the injera (spongy bread). When I go, I like to get it traditional style with my friends, and we usually order a couple of the combinations. It's a joy to try all of the perfectly flavored items spread across the table. I also love that the food is on the healthier side--while obviously still being so delicious. Mmm mmm mmm. Service has always been great in my experience, and there is plenty of parking around the building and the in back. If you are looking for a fun and delicious, yet casual, dining experience, look no further!

Fantastic ambiance where you dine in the back on a miniature TV tray table with a large serving platter holding flavorful hand to mouth edibles of lamb tips and vegetarian sides that are delicious. Such a nice treat to eat here and get the samplers. The hot tea is amazing. A great meal and great service is found here.

Love all the food It was a good experience nice food nice people very clean smelling amazing

Who doesn't enjoy eating with their hands? Especially delicious Ethiopian food. Queen of Sheba is, hands down, my favorite Ethiopian restaurant, not just in Louisville, but anywhere I've had the pleasure to enjoy this cuisine. The staff is so welcoming, and very helpful when one is trying to decide what to order. Typically I choose the vegetarian sampler, because SO many options, but most recently I was feeling adventurous, and our server guided me to the truly unique and absolutely delicious mitten shiro, a flavorful stew of chickpea flour, onions, garlic, and a variety of beautifully melded spices. All entrees come with injera, however if this isn't your favorite, rice can be substituted. The appetizer sampler is also an excellent choice. For delicious Ethiopian food and a positive atmosphere, look no further than QoS.

Truly authentic Ethiopian cuisine. Ethiopian is my all time fav food, and having traveled to Addis multiple times I'm always on the lookout for a good restaurant. Queen of Sheeba did not disappoint. Everything was good: tibs, wot, injeera, collared greens. The gored gored was particularly exceptional. Be sure to have a glass of Te'j with your meal (honey wine - filtered but still delish). And be sure to end your meal properly with a pot of Ethiopian coffee. They even had a back room with authentic "wicker" tables. My friend's first time eating Ethiopian and he was blown away. 5* = incredible (rare) 4* = very good/ strong desire to return 3* = generally good experience 2* = poor/ no desire to return 1* = a particularly awful experience

First time and WOW !! The food was fantastic. Full flavor with Ethiopian spices and heat levels. Service was excellent. A must go to restaurant.

I've been to Queen of Sheba now for a few times pre COVID. Today was the first time I went to order take out since COVID happened. Their curbside system was very easy especially with their online ordering system. The pick up was ready when I arrived and they had hand sanitizers there. And the food! Still exceptional and lots of Injera (ethopian bread)! (See photos). We ordered the tilapia and lamb tips and it was really flavorful, not too heavy, and good size portion. I couldnt finish my fish dish so I'll have it for lunch tomorrow. Great food! Absolutely reccomend and will return!

Always feel good after eating here. We come here all the time. Love the vegetarian options

This is my first Ethiopian food experience so I don't have a lot to compare it too. Even so, as an adventurous eater I had to give this recommend 5 star establishment a try. Most meals are served family style and eating with your hands is encouraged. The decorations are traditional and many were observed on dates. I expected the food to be more flavorful but the flavors were good with the lamb tips being our table's favorite. Dishes had a lot of onions, peppers, cabbage and lentils. Our server seemed very overwhelmed with a young girl waiting on the whole place. Patience was required and she needed help. It was a neat experience but probably not my cup of tea.

My husband and I have been here twice now. The food is great! You are supposed to eat it with your hands, but they'll give forks. The food is very healthy; only fresh veggies are used, no frozen or canned, and the injera (bread) is low in carbs. Injera tastes like a light, fluffy, non-sweet pancake. The kik wot is SO good. Our favorite dishes are the lamb awaze tips and the beef shifta tips. Don't skip out on the Ethiopian honey wine (or the coffee if you don't drink alcohol)! The *only* complaint I have is that we went on a day that it was 93° outside and their A/C wasn't on. It was miserably hot inside.

Love the vegetarian combo and really glad to see they are now offering gluten-free injera. Their food is always flavorful and the service is great. However, the last few times I have ordered takeout, it seems like the portions keep getting smaller. A cup of kik wot was only filled halfway (maybe 2 spoonfuls) and I've noticed more potatoes than chicken in the Alicha Doro wot. Also I would really appreciate carryout offered in something besides styrofoam.

Delicious cuisine. Paleo friendly. Although the "English" is strained to communicate, great service and answers to questions about the menu.

Stopped for lunch. Service was excellent. Food was amazing!! We ordered two combos and since we were sharing, they placed everything together. What a gem. Was a beautiful presentation!

My first time trying Ethiopian food and I loved it! The music was chill and the staff was great. Highly recommend this place!

We tried this a few weeks ago and it wasn't bad, but unfortunately, felt that the food was not as great as what we get from Abyssinia. I was not really a fan of how they prepared the greens and our beef was on the tough side. This would be more like a 3.5 stars, but our waitress was pleasant so I bumped this up to 4 stars.

As always, Queen of Sheba was delicious. I got the vegetarian Misir wot, which came with another vegetarian side and a small salad. All the foods (mostly stews or saucy-like foods) are served on injera bread, a delicious, spongy sour roti-like bread, and you eat with your hands by wrapping the food in the injera in bites. Yum!

How is it that I have not reviewed Queen of Sheba yet? This place is singlehandedly responsible for my first foray into the amazing cuisine of Ethiopia. My wife raved about this place to me for years, and as soon as I had an opportunity to try it, I did so with great expectation. Not only I was not disappointed, but rather, I was amazed by the richness, color, and deliciousness of the Ethiopian menu. There is good reason for this, located in the route of the spice trade, this region has been exposed for centuries to the wonderful diversity of the spices of the east, and the warm Ethiopians, with their great family customs, created a way of life around these wonderful foods. Be bold and adventurous, try everything, you will like it!

Forget the forks because all you will need is your hands for this place. A true authentic Ethiopian restaurant. It was my first time there and I can't wait to go back. We started off with the appetizer sampler - I recommend the green Beans . In all honesty everything was tasty and I can't wait to try more. The staff was friendly and polite. The outdoor dining set up was shaded and separated from the street.

FABULOUS food, we had the appetizer plate. We had seconds on the Samosa's. The food was flavorful, spiced wonderfully. We'll be back for sure. The tea is made in house as well and spiced with clove, cinnamon and cardamom. Nothing that we had was questionable.

Low end of my 4 star reviews and probably for shitty picky reasons. The food, some of it at least, is very good. Specifically, my biggest issue is with injera. This was my first Ethiopian experience. Like you, I've heard amazing things about QoS, but I never heard that injera is a flavorless, mushy bread-like substance. I tasted everything on the sampler appetizer. The samboussa was delicious. It was basically meat baked inside of filo dough. The wraps, whose names escape me, were really good, except for the injera. However, the timatim was essentially cold, regurgitated spaghetti and was inedible for everyone in my group My entree was the Sega wot and was so good. Spicy beef served over rice, on request, instead of injera, with a side of spicy lentils. The lentils were for real the bomb dot com! The side house salad was lettuce of the titanic sinking variety and tomato. Disappointing, but edible. Anyway, long story short, I'll be back to try other menu items, but know to stay away from the injera and timatim. Happy eating! P.S. Meals come on one plate to share unless requested otherwise. Silverware provided upon request. The restaurant is unbelievably cold inside.

Food was good. Service was okay. Place was pretty empty but we went closer to closing. Ambiance was great. Dimmed lights and very cultural. Sweet chef. Their meats were tasty and tender. Liked the paste the meat was in the best.

My only problem eating here is that I want to order the veggie platter plus 3-4 other dishes but there's only so much food a gal can fit in her belly. If you've never had Ethiopian, def give it a try. I've only had non-Queen of Sheba Ethiopian food a handful of times (but in bigger, more diverse cities than Louisville), but this is hands down my favorite. If it's your first time, try a veggie and/or meat combo platter. I eat mostly vegetarian, and my fave dishes are the fossolia, atakilt, and spicy engudai tips. Great place to bring a group. Pro tip: You can get an extra side of most of their veggie dishes for $2. Excuse the quality of the photo, but it should still make your mouth water.

I ate here once or twice since living in Louisville. All pre-Covid. I had been craving Ethiopian food during the HealthyAtHome-ing. But as someone who lives alone....it seemed silly to order it, because the portions tend to be more for groups. But then a friend mentioned getting QoS curbside pick up for her mother's day meal and....well, the rest is DoorDash history. They seem to have transitioned quickly and adeptly to curbside and delivery. Their website is updated for online ordering, and they are on DoorDash and GrubHub. I downloaded DD just for this occasion. And Ethiopian makes for good leftovers. I ordered ahead, around lunch for 6pm dinner delivery. It was simple and easy and my delivery actually came early! I got the meat and veggie combo, as well as an order of chicken sambusas. It was all fan-freaking-tastic! I never remember exactly what each thing in the combo is, I just know that they always taste good. Still, the sambusas were perfect and my favorite part of the meal. It is a couple days later now, and I have probably one serving leftover. Everything tastes as good as leftovers as well! Glad that they are still able to operate during all this. And I am glad I could support a local biz!

The flavors created at this place are just...chef's kiss. We got the vegetarian combo platter and had no regrets. This place will blow your mind!

I first went to Queen of Sheba years ago and had been eager to go back ever since. The spongey bread. The variety of flavorful meats and veggies. The communal dining. So this year, for my birthday dinner, I finally crossed that return meal off my list. The four of us got a table without a wait, and before digging into entrees we decided to share the beyaynetu, an appetizer sample platter with kosta wrap (spinach, diced onions, garlic, homemade cottage cheese wrapped with injera bread), fossolia wrap (green beans, carrots, onions, and herbs cooked in tomato sauce, wrapped in injera), timatim fit-fit (cold injera mixed with diced tomatoes, green pepper, onion and lemon dressing) and choice of sambussa. We went with the lentil sambussa, which is stuffed in thin pastry shells and pan fried. The kosta wrap and sambussa were my favorites. The spinach had a hint of sweetness to it, and the sambussa was lightly spicy and full of flavor. And then the main course! I got the meat and vegetable combination. This included doro wot (spicy chicken stew), alicha sega wot (mild tender beef stew with onion and potatoes), gomen wot (collard greens) and atakilt (cabbage in a tomato sauce). My entree came in four small piles on a large platter on pieces of injera, alongside everyone else's food. We also got a basket of rolled up injera too. I loved that we all ate together from one large plate -- even trying bits of everyone else's entrees too. It was friendly, communal. Plus when you're eating with your hands, you can't be on your phone and you actually pay attention to one another. (And I say this as someone who is addicted to her phone.) Particularly I loved the atakilt and doro wot. The cabbage was full of flavor -- more flavor than I've enjoyed in cabbage before. And the doro wot was indeed a bit spicy, but that spice was complex, definitely not one note. It also came with a drum stick on top. Plus can we take a moment for injera? This was my favorite part. This bread is light, spongey, stretchy, and it soaks up the sauces and flavors in the food. And as if we weren't stuffed enough, we got dessert. (It was my birthday after all!) We split the baklawa (spelled differently but the same as baklava) and limoncello cake, a recommendation from our server. Both were delightful. While the dinner is the reason to visit, the dessert is lovely too. Queen of Sheba makes for a memorable meal you won't soon forget.

Every aspect of this restaurant is amazing. The customer service is excellent (and so nice!!), The food was phenomenal, and the price was just right. I have never been here before but have heard nothing but good things. I was so excited to be ordering takeout for the family this evening and the experience was everything I had hoped for and more!!! We finished eating hours ago and I am craving more!!! Even the kids ate everything in their plate!!! We will definitely be returning. Also, if you are given the choice to pick a pepper, pick the jalapenos. *Chef's kiss* so good.

some of the best food i've ever had, the injera bread is delicious and the traditional style of serving was so fun and delicious!! beautiful atmosphere and very authentic

Over the years, I've been to this establishment dozens of times, but their food has never disappointed me. For our Takeout Tuesday special of last week, we decided to dine in with some delicious Ethiopian fare from the best Ethiopian restaurant in Louisville. I've been to three restaurants in Louisville, and I still think this place has the best food...hands down. Since the Coronavirus pandemic is still around, I ordered via their online site to minimize interaction. The site was easy to navigate, plenty of descriptions, and you can easily leave a nice tip at the end. So, I ordered a veggie combo for myself, a meat and veggie combo for my partner, and some lentil sambusa for an appetizer. Nothing fancy, but oh so tasty. For starters, the sambusa was crispy on the outside and soft and savory on the inside. My veggie combo came with collard greens, red lentils, yellow lentils, and cabbage. All was very savory and hsd great flavor from the seasoning. His combo came with chicken, red lentils, and beef tips. Even though I didn't eat it this time, I've had it before and can vouch for the excellent flavor, and his quietness while eating let me know that he felt the same way. All in all, if you are looking for the best Ethiopian food for your takeout either on Tuesday or some other day, look no further and call Queen of Sheba!

Delicious food and great service. Reasonably priced I go every chance I get and recommend highly!

This place was really unique. I have to say it's very authentic Ethiopian food. I've not had this style before. The bread they serve, called Kik wot is very different than any other bread you would typically think of-- almost like a crepe consistency. The Alicha Sega wot that I got was delicious-- basically beef, potatoes, and flavor-- mixed with rice. If you want something simple and not overpowering, I would recommend that dish. The most unique thing was their way of serving my dish and my friend's dish all on one platter (as seen in picture). It's a very unique experience, but a delicious and flavorful one. If you haven't had Ethiopian cuisine before, I recommend it.