Red Sea Ethiopian Restaurant

The best Ethiopian food, excellent vegetarian options. The service is more than 5 stars. Try their traditional Honey Wine, a must. Vegi Combo gives you the opportunity to try 4 of their top vegetarian dishes on one plate. Also for carnivores they have a meat combo. Family owned (Husband & Wife) you will always see one or both working.

Absolutely unbelievably DELICIOUS! The best Ethiopian food I have ever had! I cant believe i have been to this place before. I got the lamb stew and vegetable combo dishes and they were both Absolutely fantastic. Incredible flavors, the lamb was super tender and the variety, textures and flavors were just incredible. This place is an absolute must try! BRAVO!!!

Absolutely amazing experience. Shimmy and Eden have a very welcoming restaurant. I originally came here for a school project about different cultures: Shimmy walked me around and showed me different cultural items and explained their meanings. The food was delicious, fresh, and enjoyable. The restaurant itself is clean, comfortable, and feels like home. I go here whenever I can now. They are very community oriented people: this isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a gathering place. They do everything they can to keep their prices affordable, and give us a great experience. See you soon Shimmy and Eden!

I love The Red Sea!! I've been coming here for many many years. Hands down one of the best restaurants in the area. Wonderful comfort food, full of flavor and always fresh and hearty. Plus the owners are awesome. They also have solid vegetarian options, so there's something for everyone. Great place, highly recommend, five stars always!

I’ve been a customer at red sea Ethiopian since October of last year and I make the weekend trip because it’s worth it. The service is amazing. The food is incredibly delicious. You can tell it’s prepared the right way and everything is very good. The hospitality is better than anywhere and it’s definitely worth the trip. Don’t forget to bring your friends and family. 10/10

Very nice food. Old style, original Ethiopian environment. Feels like home, best African restaurant in San Diego.

Say it with me DEL-LISH-OUS I have frequent this authentic Ethiopian Restaurant during the past few years of living in San Diego, and I still can't get enough!. Food quality, presentation and of course the most important, TASTE! The owners are truly blessings to the community. Upon entry, the restaurant has a museum like feel, highlighting great Ethiopians and art from the culture I HIGHLY RECOMMEND stopping by for a taste for any occasion! Ask for the Honey wine!

Red Sea has the most amazing Ethiopian food I’ve ever had. We’ve been going there for years. Excellent food and a wonderful service.

Delicious and great service!! the food was so good and unique and our server was very nice

Food was amazing! I ordered the veggie platter and a side of the peas. Absolutely phenomenal. Was so delicious I forgot to take pics. I've been to a few different Ethiopian restaurants around north park and city heights and this is by far my favorite. Will update with photos when I revisit in near future! Also must add that the couple that own this place are very lovely and service was fantastic :)

Great authentic Ethiopian food with rich, flavorful dishes. We tried a variety of items, and everything was delicious. The only downside for me was the tea--the clove flavor was a bit too overpowering.

I wanted to try a new Ethiopian spot and came across this place. Upon entering, I almost left as I wasn't greeted or acknowledged for way too long. I had sat myself as the sigh up front said to, and eventually someone came out, and took my order. They don't seem to offer cups as when I ordered water, I was given a bottled water. I say this as a couple came in later and they too were given soda cans with a straw. Maybe it was an off day? When my food arrived it was delicious though. Some of my other Ethiopian spots seem to have changed an ingredient in their dish and this one has not, making theirs more appealing to me. So even though the service was a bit spotty I will definitely be coming back.

This place is so good, I had to come back to try it again! This time I got the Dulet Wot, which comes with beef, tripe and liver! It was very well seasoned and comes with a generous portion of injera and salad. The restaurant was not busy at all on a Saturday evening we were quickly seated and served. It does get pretty hot in the building as they don't have AC, but they do have fans and the food is well worth it.

The birth of human civilization was in Ethiopia, and satisfaction of my desires was in the Red Sea. I have experienced many joys in this world, among the top of them have been my experience at Red Sea Ethiopian. I had the opportunity to eat the Combination Plate, along with a hot tea, and what a privilege it has been. I recommend this place to all in the area.

The best Ethiopian food, excellent vegetarian options. The service is more than 5 stars. Try their traditional Honey Wine, a must. Vegi Combo gives you the opportunity to try 4 of their top vegetarian dishes on one plate. Also for carnivores they have a meat combo. Family owned (Husband & Wife) you will always see one or both working.

I'm a tourist..the food here is excellent service and food ..I'll definitely return..

Been to Red Sea several times now. And every time was a good experience. Portions are generous, flavorful, and served quickly. I also like their cozy interior, too.

This is my favorite restaurant in all of San Diego! And hands down the best if you're looking for Ethiopian specifically! The prices are super reasonable and most importantly, the food is amazing! We always go for the veggie combo and shiro, and we usually tack on a sambusa or two to the beginning and a baklava or two at the end. All of it is fantastic -- so much flavor! The staff are super kind and I love the homey atmosphere.

For dinner time on a Thursday night, the restaurant was fairly empty but that did not mean that the food was absolutely delicious. This was my first time having Ethiopian food and we got both combinations to try as much as we could. Every single item was flavorful and perfectly spiced, paired with the injera, it was a great dinner. Both combos totaled up to around 40 dollars without tip and we both left extremely satisfied. Keep in mind that there isnt much parking but there are a couple plaza lots and street parking if youre lucky.

I've been coming here for 20 years. I am confident to say this is by far the best Ethiopian food in San Diego. The staff is amazing. The ambiance is great, they roast coffee beans too for an amazing aroma.

It's been awhile since I've been here, and I was there for their their buffet lunch which was beyond extraordinary! Delicious homemade food! Highly recommended.

Truly authentic and delicious without any pretension. You'll even get some history and food 411 while waiting (it's at your table). This is one of those spots you stumble upon if you're lucky or through in your search. The spice levels are on point and this restaurant adds their own flair but stays true to the traditional flavors. The ambiance is so comfortable and the service is great, too!

FANTASTIC LUNCH AND DINNER! I have traveled the entire United States and love eating all different kinds of food and I've visited all different types of establishment and let me emphasize when I say I've received all different types of services and different types of treatment at these establishment. let's just say RED SEA Ethiopian restaurant is one of the best establishments you will find go by yourself a nice big dinner try the vegetarian sampler and get yourself a Samosa and a nice hot tea or if you like coffee please get the coffee because it's some of the best coffee you'll ever have oh and did I mention the service they're the nicest people in the world!! Enjoy it when you go!

It can be So hard to find Dulet (Ethiopian lamb dish with liver, tripe and spices) These guys execute it to absolute perfection. Super friendly service in a spacious space.

I saw the restaurant as I was driving by. I'm glad I stopped because the food was delicious. I'll come back every time I'm in San Diego. Everyone's friendly, great service, and great food.

We have been coming here for a few years now and we always have a great time. We love the homey feeling of the restaurant and the kind and friendly staff. They always remembers us. :) For an appetizer, I would recommend the sambussas! For entrees, we order the vegetarian combo and special shiro and it is enough for two adults and two kids (our kids love the food as well). They are always generous with their injera. The Ethiopian coffee is great as well and the baklava is really good! Would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for tasty food, a fun atmosphere, or who wants to support a local business.

First time coming here and the food was excellent. The Zilzil Tibs in particular stood out! Service was kind and helpful in suggesting items. And it was a very clean nice environment. Would have preferred glass cups of water but I also didn't ask so that might be on me as this might be normal in Ethiopian restaurants. Highly recommend checking this place out.

Absolutely the best Ethiopian food in town. A casual atmosphere decorated in pictures and art from Ethiopia. Always a happy smile and warm welcome. Get the combination for you first visit along with the Ethiopian Tea or Coffee. We come all the time.

A charming place, Red Sea has to be the most DELICIOUS Ethiopian food I've tried! I've been to a couple places, but I still find myself driving 20 mins to satisfy my craving. The number 11 and 17 combo are the ones that I always find myself going to, and their Injera always comes out fresh and warm. I can't recommend this place enough!

come eat here now. very good. coffee. entrees. beer. all here for ya bud. 10/10. S/o Angie Huang from Mom and Pop 02 the Food Issue (Local Zine). She really put me on.

We were looking for Ethiopian food and knew there was a lot in City Heights! In general, the area around this place can be difficult to find parking, even with a small parking lot behind the restaurant... We decided to try this one and the service was fast. We were seated very quickly and our orders were taken promptly. We ordered the gored gored which is an almost seasoned raw beef and then the lamb specialty, which I've forgotten the name of but it was also delicious. Both were not incredibly fatty, they were quite lean, but so tender! I think the next time, we'll be ordering some vegetarian dishes, too. For those who have not tried Ethiopian food, these in particular have a tangy taste and some of it is spicy. You'll also be eating without utensils, simply picking up the food with the pancakes! The restaurant itself is very hole in the wall, nothing fancy, but I found it quaint. Along the walls are portraits and paintings relevant to their culture and there's also decor to match, too.

This is my ALL TIME favorite Ethiopian restaurant. Ethiopian food is one of my favorites and I enjoy the alwaze ribs and the yebere siga wot every time. The anjero is the perfect balance of just the right amount of sour to complement the food so well. The restaurant itself is cozy and they have a sitting area to enjoy Ethiopian coffee. When you dine in they provide the food in a family style shareable way. The service is great for a quick order and pick up and even dining in.

This place is so unique and authentic, you can tell as soon as you walk in. Family owned and you feel the hospitality with the great service. Food was amazing and there were many vegan friendly options as well which was great. Reasonably priced too, will definitely come back

This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in California. The vegetarian combo platter and shiro keep me coming back every time. It has a chill vibe, delightful owners, and serves as a hub for the community.

Very nice interior, fast service, and great food. The prices were great for the serving size, it could feed 2 people comfortably

Tried Ethopian cuisine for the first time! The waitress was super accommodating to this first timer. Answering questions. Pointing out options for this Hot-Spicy adverse palate. The food was SO GOOD! I feel incredibly full. The atmosphere was chill. Smells of incense. I wish I wouldve taken photos of the space. I felt transported to a different world for leisurely meal. I recommend and want to bookmark to come back !

Delicious! We got the veggie combo and everything was super tasty. Very authentic and great service!

Everything was delicious and the server was so nice! The decor is very representative of Ethiopian culture and has a comfy and quaint atmosphere. Their portions are huge but they swear everything is portioned for 1 person. My party of 3 enjoyed every bite and still had leftovers because we were ridiculously full. The only negative parts of the experience were that they burned incense that had a strong smell and had a single bathroom so the wait time to use it was long at times. I would definitely come back for a to-go order or to try the coffee ceremony.

Best ethiopian food locally, ai order the #11 combination and it's so good. I recommend if you like spicy foods.

Absolutely delicious Ethiopian food! Friendly service, traditional Ethiopian art, great ambiance and posters with a large variety to choose from! I would definitely recommend a combined #11 and #17 combination plate with injera bread! 10/10 would recommend

Another great meal at Red Sea. I decided to have a little bit of everything that I enjoy today. The customer service was great as usual. We did not wait long to be greeted and for our order to be taken. I noticed the new and improved decor. The updated seating was quite comfortable and I enjoyed the music playing. I will be coming back soon.

This was the first time I tried Ethiopian food and I absolutely enjoyed it. The restaurant has a welcoming home vibe as if you were going to your grandma's house to eat or something. Lol. I loved the decor as well. We sat ourselves down and our server came within minutes to take our order. My husband and I ordered the tibs because I don't really do spicy and the server suggested it. She put it all on one plate-family style and we tore it up! There was salad in the middle, some sauce on the side and the meat on each side of the salad. It was juicy, flavorful and a good type of full, like a healthy full of that makes sense! Lol. They also give you this unleavened bread and you pretty much use that to eat your meat and salad. No utensils, you eat with your hands. Lastly, we did the traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony and it was real cool to watch. The coffee is so strong, it had me up till 1am! I want to come again and order something different next time. If I were you, I would give it a try!

Really and truly this restaurant is a gem. The food was amazing, the service from our server, Yeti, was phenomenal, and she gave us excellent recommendations (personally the Sambussa was a crowd favorite for my husband and I). If you are in San Diego, don't miss out on having some traditional Ethiopian food and a wonderful experience.

My friends insisted we come here together and I am so glad they did. We had a wonderful night together and the food was just incredible. The service was, too. We talked about the origins of coffee with our server. She roasted the best coffee for us, too. Fantastic place. I highly recommend it!

The food was fragrant and flavorful! So much fun diving into another culture and their way of dining. The decor was fun and I loved the Ethiopian music they were playing. Servers friendly and patient. Would highly recommend and can't wait to go again.

The food is delicious and served so beautifully! I love the decor and overall vibe of the restaurant. It is very cozy and cute with lots of informative pictures and notes. It's very nostalgic for me personally. The service was wonderful. The owners are kind and very welcoming. I am a regular and I recommend the place to whoever I can!

Our Family has been coming to the Red Sea Restaurant for the past 10-15 years! We really enjoy their delicious cuisine, full of flavorful spices and Excellent Customer Service! Shimé and Yeti are very customer oriented and strive to make your dining experience memorable. For Vegans or Vegetarians, their Veggie combination is to die for. It's one of their best selling dish & most people love the 6-7 different veggie dishes that come as a combo. You can order it family style where everybody eats together as a family on a big platter or served individually on your plate! Your choice! But for the rest of us "Carnivores", their Special Kitfo, Sautéed Doro Wot, Zilzil Tibs & Gored Gored are at the very top of our list. After devouring the delish food, gulped down with a couple of cold Ethiopian beers, we always look forward to their Beautiful Traditional Coffee Ceremony (if requested) and drink their strong, freshly roasted Ethiopian Coffee that will leave you delighted beyond compare! This Restaurant is a MUST TRY, we guarantee you will be coming back for more!!!!! PS. Dont forget to try their honey-wine if you have a designated driver.. coz it will leave you Buzzin' & Tinglin' in the right places!

Beautiful place, the service was so friendly and helpful. The decor with the Ethiopian baskets is lovely and transporting. But now to the food. It was amazing. We got the Injera (it was perfect) with Yedero Wot, Tibs, Shifinfin and Split Pea Alicha. All perfectly apiced and flavourful. We chose one spicy and the rest milder. All were great. If you've never had Ethiopian food, Injera is a spongy fermented flat bread, and the spiced meats and vegetables sit on top of it. The toppings are scooped up with the bread. I highly recommend going here to try it. Our 10 year olds loved it and also loved the ambience. They keep bugging us to go.

I have never eaten Ethiopian food before and it was suggested to me by a parking attendant at the San Diego airport. I must say it was pretty good I got the combination plate which came with regular beef, spicy beef and spicy chicken with salad and bread (I forgot the name of what it's actually called). This hospitality was amazing and welcoming. I certainly enjoyed the food and it was really different for me. The spicy beef didn't have enough beef which is why it got a 4 star rating because it was just 1-2 pcs and the rest was gravy. The regular beef had plenty so that was awesome and it was only 1 pc of chicken and didn't seem to have much flavor. The salad was perfect and I noticed because of all the gravy the bread got soggy quickly. I would certainly suggest giving it a try. Check out my Instagram for more food reviews in different areas. Instagram.com/therealfoodaddicts954

We came back here after 7 years. Food is as flavorful and delicious as it was. We were glad that this restaurant is doing well and still in business. Come and enjoy special food. You will need to eat without utensils. Enjoy the experience!

When you enter Red Sea Ethiopian Restaurant, it was as if you had walked into a comfortable carpeted lounge at someone's house. You may seat yourself at any of the approximately ten tables they have. The menu was split into four main sections: appetizers, entrées, vegetarian entrées and house specialties. What caught my eye was the combination plate which consisted of tibs (pan roasted strips of beef simmered in spices and a berbere sauce), yebere siga wot (spicy beef stewed in spices and a red pepper sauce), and yedero wot (two chicken wings stewed in spices and the same red pepper sauce). The spice level was described by the waitress as medium, but it was a little less than that for my taste buds. The plate was served with a small fresh salad on top of a large piece of injera. A basket with about five more pieces of injera was provided to help sop up all the saucy goodness. My favorite was the tibs mainly because the pieces of meat were larger so I could place it inside the injera, fold it up, and eat it like a beef fajita. This restaurant does take reservations so I will be returning in the future with a large group to enjoy their yummy Ethiopian cuisine.

Got the #11 and the #17 combo platters -- both were very flavorful and delicious! Service was attentive and warm :) It had been years since I had Ethiopian food and now I know where to go! Ambiance was super cozy decked out in posters about Ethiopia, and enjoyed reading about the country from the information set at the table. I will be back to try their sambussas.

Ohhh yeah. Great ethiopian food, strongly recommend the lentils! Definitely worth coming in and getting some grub!

So here we are over 13 years later since my last review, and what can I say.... Still my favorite joint for Ethiopian. The staff is still friendly, the food is still amazing, and I still leave fat and happy (even though I eat a little less these days). I love how they still play Ethiopian music videos. At least I think they're Ethiopian and that they still bring out the beans sizzling for the Coffee Ceremony. What has changed? Well, we're advanced Ethiopian eaters and don't only have the Tibs or combination. Still stick to the veggie combo, cause mom said to eat your vegetables, but are now onto the Kitfo and Gored Gored (barely cooked) because meat and meat juice is delicious. Calm your dirty mind and toughen up your belly. They taste amazing. Give Red Sea a shot. You'll be happy.

This restaurant is really a hidden gem. The employees are so kind and friendly and their food is absolutely delicious. I've tried all of their vegetarian options at this point and they've so been amazing every time. My non vegetarian friends have also loved the meat dishes as well. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone considering it.

I went last night with a couple of friends and it was so delicious! The restaurant is cozy and has traditional decor. We got combination meats and veggie combo and added Kitfo and shiro. We got an order of sambusas and they were so warm, crispy, and fresh! They were also very big, bigger than other sambusas I've had at other places. We also got the honey wine that was really good. The food was great, the kitfo was really good and buttery melting in your mouth. I will definitely be back again!

Best Ethiopian food I've ever had, the decor is very pleasing too. The lady that served us was very polite as well! I have been to multiple places across California and this has been the best one.