Selam Ethiopian Kitchen

Fantastic authentic food. You can taste the love and hard work that goes into every dish. BEST Injera bread I've ever had. Well worth the visit. Will come every time I'm in the area.

I recently moved to Chicago and was hungry after unpacking and putting heavy furniture together. This calls for a big meal! I ordered the vegan combo since Ethiopian cuisine would turn me vegetarian. It was great. I especially love the beets, gomen, and a dish I can't name but in the picture it's top left next to the cabbage. Those 3 are addictingly good This is definitely one of my new go to spots in my new city!

This place is on my list of favorite Ethiopian Resturnat- the food is absolutely delicious and flavorful! Great atmospher, nice music and great service. Overal, I am very satisfied with this establishment. It's a must-visit spot to experience authentic Ethiopian cuisine.

This was my first time at an Ethiopian restaurant, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I was very happy that there was a trial meal that had a couple of different items that we ended up getting. The only downside was that there was pretty much only one server, which at the beginning was fine as it was pretty quiet, though once things started to pick up, it was hard to get service.

I visited this restaurant last week and had a disappointing experience. The Coke and Diet Cokes we ordered were warm and flat, with the Diet Cokes being expired. When we informed the server, he did not address the issue, and the owner dismissed our concerns without offering an apology. The food was underwhelming, and the injera was overly thick and unappetizing. Overall, it was the worst Ethiopian dining experience I've had, and I hope they improve their service and food quality.

Went for lunch and ate the meat sampler platter for 2 with traditional Ethiopian, fresh roasted coffee. The coffee was the most flavorful and delicious cup I have ever had served in a beautiful decanter. The food was all made from scratch and had such amazing spices and the owner explained how all the spices were brought over from Ethiopia and cooked by his wife. Everything tasted so good together. I only wish my stomach was larger so I could have finished the entire platter. The “platter for 2” was big enough for at least 3 hungry people. So the portion size was very fair. Definitely will come back!

We needed to find food after a show at the Metro. Saw that Salem Ethiopian Kitchen was open and walked over. We were greeted and sat right away. We ordered a vegan platter and one of the chef special tibs. The beef was cooked well, and came out hot and delicious. The injira was extra tangy compared to what I have had before and was really delicious. They told me they make it in house daily. The vegan platter was way bigger than we anticipated and full of tons of different dishes, 4 kinds of lentils, green beans, cabbage, beats, etc on top of injira. Absolutely would recommend it for vegetarians or vegans.

Visited for the first time today based on Google reviews and I was not disappointed. The food and service were great. I look forward to visiting again during my next trip to Chicago.

Delicious vegan food and kind service. Not fancy, but authentic food and flavors. All the lentils were tasty!

Oh man. Worst carry out experience I've probably ever had. My usual Ethiopian go-to is Demera but they close at 8:30 on weeknights and when I went to order at 7:45, they weren't accepting orders anymore. I found Selam on Yelp and the reviews looked promising... what a let down. I ordered on their website (and paid and tipped). My husband went to pick up the food- they had no idea what he was talking about when he said we ordered on their website. They have a website that allows orders but they don't get notified? He said they seemed totally confused and kept asking where we ordered from. I mean I ordered directly from their site, not even some third party like grub hub. He showed them the order conf and proof of payment- so at that point they said ok and went to make the food. I mean if it had been me I would have asked for a refund and left but I think he felt weird since he was already there. Anyway 45 min later he came home with the food... and it was terrible. The injera was bad. All the curries were bad (I got the vegetarian beyenetu platter). I mean it was a huge disappointment. I ended up throwing most of it out. Never again. Demera for life.

Came here after a concert. They were open till midnight on a Sunday. We couldn't get there until about 1145. We called and spoke with the owner Salomon. He assured us the kitchen would be open and arriving that late would be acceptable. We weren't sure what to expect when we walked in, but the place was very lively for a Sunday night. They played great music and the service was excellent. My wife & I split a vegan sampler for 2. The injera was fantastic and went well with the dinner. Would recommend checking this place out.

This place was great--we walked so I'm not sure about parking. It's to the right and down the street from the big corner sign. We got the meat sampler for 2 which was perfect so we could try many things. There were 4 of us at around 9pm Friday, and 6-10 people total in the whole restaurant with plenty of space for many more. We did not like the bread the second time we tried this place--too much lemon? the first time it was perfect! So the bubbly bread (injera) depends on the day it seems. I'm sure you can get silverware cutlery if you asked but I was able to just use the leftover mini spoon from the sambusa sauce. Everyone else at the table did just get the food with the injera bread. Ask for the receipt when u want--seemed like we could chill all night here I think they're open til 2am. The decor ambiance was ok. Table seats were pretty big.

WOW, I have truly been sleeping on other Ethiopian places in uptown???? Selam is open until 11pm which is SUCH a nice change of pace from restaurants typically closing so early. We had a big group of 5 but were plenty fed from the two samplers for 2!!! A great way to try many different options, and each of them BANGERS. The staff was so sweet, the injera was perfectly sour and chewy, every item was so flavorful and filling. I'm truly stunned, thank you so much selam!!!! Will be back

The server was super nice - very kind - but this place was so LOUD that my friend and I were screaming just to talk and we couldn't hear each other. They let some friend / some guy go behind the bar and turn up (blast) the music constantly . People walked out. The manager turned it down once only when we said it was way too loud and we could hear each other. Then the music went up again 5 minutes later. The food was actually really good (which is why they get 3 stars) but every table was left with plates all over them. We realized that they don't clean the tables until the end of the night.

Their menu is honestly a bit confusing since it didn't really state how many each dish served, since its family style and you share a platter, not to mention finding the sides once you did order was even more confusing. The service was nice and chill, we ended up here after a rally, and I was happy with the food. I wish they had more vegetarian options other than just the platter but overall I would go here again now that I know what to expect. Basically each dish is for 1 - 2 people would be my rule of thumb for ordering.

Great service, Solomon knows what he does! The "zilzil tibs" is the best you can get in town, the Ethiopian version of rib eye steak - esp. if you like some fat. The raw meat melts in your mouth. Great traditional coffee too. Highly recommend!!

First of all this is like a hidden gem. It doesn't look like much from the outside but a big restaurant on the inside. I went there for Valentine's Day and they had a cute rose on the table. This place honestly needs to be more busy but they do a great job with the food and I honestly think it's better than the well known Demera. Good prices for the amount of food you get. I would 100% go back.

Loved the food here! This is the second time I've had Ethiopian and it was way more memorable than the first time. The restaurant has a very chill vibe and a lot of the customers were casually drinking. The injera is great and not too sour. The curried meats were my favorite. It was so flavorful and juicy. I was impressed with how good the vegetable sides were. We ended up ordering way too much food for 2 people and had tons of leftover.

Delicious and plentiful food, great service, good prices - what more could you want? And most importantly for us, their injera is gluten-free by default. We'll be back!

Having developed a love of Ethiopian cuisine after spending some time in Addis Ababa and surrounding areas, I often seek out authentic Ethiopian restaurants when traveling. My son and I found Selam Ethiopian Kitchen on Yelp and we were very impressed. The decor is understated but attractive with some interesting artwork that features color schemes representative of the national flag of Ethiopia. We were greeted and seated by the owner, a very nice man from Ethiopia. We told him we were hungry and wanted a good representation of Ethiopian cuisine. Sizing up my son, a former college football player, the owner suggested the meat sampler platter with red lentils and cabbage as our two vegetarian sides. It all came out on a large piece of injira with plenty of additional injira on the side. Every dish was superb! Chicken, lamb, beef - all tender with excellent spices. Our only regret was that we became full before mopping up every last morsel! The owner informed us that the spices they use are imported from Ethiopia. As a capstone we shared a pot of authentic Ethiopian coffee - strong, rich, and flavorful it didn't need any sugar or cream. Best coffee I've had since being in Addis Ababa! Overall, an excellent meal. I hope many people discover this gem whether natives of Chicago or tourists.

The food was good, not great. Generous portion sizes as expected from any Ethiopian restaurant. However, the injera was really dry. It took away from the overall experience, because it was kinda like having really tasty sides with sandpaper :( Hopefully, this was a one-off, but being from out of town, I'm not sure I'll be able to give them a second chance. Ambiance was nothing amazing. Standard Ethiopian restaurant stakes, so no real complaints there. Service was prompt and reasonably quick.

The food was alright, but the portions were small and for the same amount as other nearby Ethiopian restaurants. They were nearly empty but the food took quite a long time. We weren't in a big hurry, but it would've been good if they had let us know to expect a wait.

We got meat sampler for two and it was delicious. Seasoned well and was such a large portion. This is all we could eat after not eating all day. Service was exceptional, kind wait staff and very fast service. Music is fun and the restaurant isn't too loud or anything. I loved it and hope you do too.

It has been too long since I've had Ethiopian food. You know those first bites of the food that taste so freaking good after arriving at your table? Yeah. Heavenly. We both got a glass of the Tej (Ethiopian honey wine), which is extremely sweet, but a nice taste. We split a meat and veggie sampler platter.. after all, it would be more like picking names out of a hat for us, plus we wanted to know what was to our liking. Almost everything on the platter was delicious. We didn't care much for the collard greens and the green beans were standard fare, but there were other piles of stuff that were so good. Unfortunately we didn't really manage to distinguish which was what, but the samplers are a great place to start. The meat samples were also great. One of them was long strings of beef cooked with onion and peppers.. so good! The hard-boiled eggs were served with a chicken wing and an amazing sauce. One meat sample was not to our liking (we think it was lamb) but overall we were happy with everything. The samplers are deceptively a LOT of food to the point where we thought the server brought out the large size instead of the small. Between the two of us, we still had a lot leftover. I will definitely return. I really want to sample the tartare and raw meat next time!

Amazing Doro wot and large and comfy atmosphere, I recommend for those new to Ethiopian cuisine or experienced, as there is suitable options for both. Staff is friendly and will bring more injera if you need

The food was really good. My wife and i enjoyed it very much. Parking was a bit of a hassle but other than that, a very enjoyable experience.

The food at Selam is to die for. Every dish is cooked to absolute perfection - generously spiced, savory, warm, rich, and comforting. Get one of the combo platters, which should be enough for two. Ethiopian food is eaten with injera (a sourdough crepe made from lentils), which has a pleasant sourdough tang and soft, springy texture that complements and balances the richness of each dish. The food at Selam is served family-style and you eat with your hands (tear off a piece of injera and use it to scoop up the food). The format is perfect for bringing people together and turning friends into family. I'm not sure exactly what I ate, but I'll try to go down a list: * Smokey, tender grilled beef with shredded peppers and onions * Something similar to collard greens * Chicken with hard-boiled eggs in a spicy, tangy, oily red sauce * Stewed chickpeas, gooey and thick and warm * Fresh tomato salad with oil, vinegar and spices * Refreshing, cold, creamy cottage cheese. * A salad with beets

Thanks Solomon for reaching out. Mother's Day depleted food, injera in particular, and as a result, the kitchen closed. When I'm in the area and hungry, I'll give it a try...

Very friendly service. The most delicious tea, ever. The sambusas are fresh, flaky, and delicious. I got the meat platter. It was not the best I've had. I will return for the vegetarian platter. The cabbage was delicious. The bathroom was clean and stocked. They have a bar!

Honestly, what a great experience I had at Selam. They are a bit under staffed, but this did not bother me because when you arrive you can feel the great energy from the customers and the restaurant. The owner and server who helped us were extremely kind and welcoming and made us feel like family. The food was absolutely delicious and I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to try Ethiopian!

So good!! The waiter was so kind, his suggestions were perfect. I ordered the meat sampler, everything was very tasty!

I've always wanted to try Ethiopian food and may I say, this is the bombbbb dot commmm! We decided to go with the meat platter and the honey wine. It went well together. All of the meats and veggies on the platter was really good. Recommend this all the way. The server was very attentive with us as well. Hoping to come back again one of these days.

Nice service. Food was average. Injera was really sour. Portions are on the small side. It's a small restaurant with sports on the TVs and LED lights

Incredible taste and impressive portions, and the injera was so deliciously fluffy I literally ate it plain for snacks. The owners are a lovely couple who clearly put love into their food. I cannot recommend more highly, and while I couldn't stay for dine in, their decor and bar definitely will bring me back for an in person experience!

Decent Ethiopian fare. Recurring theme seems to be that service is generally lacking: Ordered a glass for the bottle of beer... server forgot, mojito tasted nothing like a mojito (and took too long), no host to tell us that we'd be seated (we just sorta had to guess that we're seating ourselves), etc. We had the veg platter and its plenty for 2 people. Ok as far as taste goes but we've had better here in Chicago.

Absolutely wonderful all around. Wonderful service and wonderful food. We had the vegetarian platter- and it had some of the best flavors I've had at an Ethiopian restaurant. The beets, tomatoes salad, green beans, and lentils being some of my favorites. Will absolutely come back again soon!

Great Ethiopian restaurant! Fast service, delicious food, and very nice staff. It was a first time for a number of us in our group of 5- first Ethiopian experience- and we all loved it. Awesome place to try a lot and get the full experience of flavor

The quality of their food is really good and as an Ethiopian, it's one of the better restaurants in Chicago. The service might not be all that but honestly, a lot of Ethiopian don't even drink their water while eating so idk what to say about that Food is excellent!

Authentic Etheopian dishes served in a homestyle restaurant by obvious family members. I make it a stop every visit. Whether you are vegetarian or not you will find great flavorful options. Try anything or everything you won't be disappointed. No alcohol is served but you can BYOB.

Delicious and reasonably priced. Three of us shared a platter with 2 meats and 4 vegetable dishes with injera. Plenty! Excellent mix of spices. Try it. You'll like it! Great service. Pleasant, relaxed atmosphere.

The service was ok first but then deteriorated and had to seek their attention repeatedly, and also they were not that busy. We've dined before and enjoyed their food unlike this evening. We ordered two kitfo, spicy tibs, veggie combo but were terrible beside the veggie combo. The tips was too much watery to no taste at all and the kitfo is nowhere close to the tradition you get used to. Also we had few injera and tried to get their attention repeatedly to get more as they had not made eye contacts at all. Our ordered veggie combo was not there and had to ask them at the end and at least enjoyed that one at the. Tej (honey based local drink) was fine. Hope the food and their service improves

Everything here is organic and you can definately taste the freshness and high quality of the ingredients. The vegan sampler had warmed cabbage, green beans with carrots, chickpeas, mildly spiced lentils, salad, and lots of injera bread rolled up. It was simply delicious. The portions are huge, more than enough to share or take home. I also loved the tea after the meal, with a hint of clove. They also have a butcher shop window up front and make Ethiopian style beef jerkey in the house. The restaurant is hidden in the back, when you walk by the kitchen its immaculate and smells amazing, like homemade cooking and spices. I am so thankful that I had the chance to try this unique and delicious cuisine.

This place is incredible. The service, atmosphere, and concept are all worth the trip. The food though is other worldly. I had the beef ribs which were Smokey and tender with an interesting tangy sauce. The whole meal is served on a spongy flatbread and everything was a journey of smells and flavors. This place is a true gem and very reasonably priced. It even has a store out front to but some of the items for home use.

A hole in the wall spot with moderate street parking. We went for dinner and had a good experience. The three of us ordered the meat sampler plate and one other meat dish, and we had a massive amount of food to take home - easily a pound of leftovers that lasted for several days. Food was well seasoned and very flavorful, but the meats came out a little tough. I think I would opt for the vegetarian sampler next time. Not my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago, as I prefer the blend of flavors at the other one just a little further north down the block. The waitress was very friendly and one of the nicest people I've met. It took a while to get our food, so don't arrive hangry. I would go back!

Selam Kitchen is a beacon of light in my life. The first time I walked into their old location, Solomon and his wife showed me their business as if I was their own family. They inspired me to embark on a six month journey of learning to make my own injera at home, and guided me through all my mistakes until I got it just right. Almost the entire menu here is organic and the vegetables are sourced from local farmers. You /cannot/ get more authentic and wholesome Ethiopian food anywhere else in Chicago. The beef jerky is to die for, and is made right in the kitchen with a knife and two hands! Plan to get your hands dirty too, and stay a while. One last thing to note is their organic Ethiopian coffee, roasted fresh everyday. These beans are not burnt, not mixed for 'consistency', and they smell of caramelized heavenliness. This coffee will not give you jitters like so many others. They also offer coffee ceremonies for celebrations or meetings. If you are still thinking about it, just put your phone down and go there right now. You will absolutely not regret it!

It is hard to see from across the street but it is worth finding. I love Ethiopian food and they do it well. I had the meat tray my wife the veggie tray. We combined and it was a feast. We tried to finish it all but there was just too much. The place was very clean and well appointed. It is close to both the Red line and the # 36 bus. The place can handle almost any sized party.

Wow, so delicious to the last bite! We were visiting Orlando on work with a bunch of foodies so thank god everyone wanted to try Ethiopian for first time or second time since it's difficult to get everyone on the same page in a group! Wonderful for groups since large plates are shared, delicious spices and flavors in veggies and meat. Unique, fresh and savory, can't say enough good words. Some dishes are spicy but most are tangy and flavorful. Friendliest staff and the most hospitable. Thanks for the great group dinner tonight!

I thoroughly enjoyed my Yebeg Tibs (lamb) and gomen (greens) at Selam Ethiopian Kitchen. I have been to some Ethiopian restaurants where the portions are really small, but not at Selam. The serving size was generous and the time I spent waiting in anticipation was really short. I could tell the spices where made with authentic Ethiopian flavors and the coffee was great too! They served it in the traditional jebenah. The owner came over to speak to me personally about my experience and was extremely friendly. I will definitely support Solomon & Selamawit's family owned business again!

Excellent food. Excellent prices. Found some honey wine that I love and I don't like wine. Don't miss this restaurant.

I thought the food was good. Others in the party thought it lacked flavor. One meat platter and one vegetable platter was enough for the three in our group. They were actually served on one physical patter with the meat in the center and vegetables circling the meat. More bread was brought as needed at no extra charge. This ran us about $36. Nicely done eating area with subtle smell of incense in the air. Not dark but not well lit either.

I have found my new favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago. I had the doro wat, golden tibs and veggie combo. To compliment it all I had the honey wine (tej). The tej was amazing. And I also must mention the injera. It was so delicious. Very light and tasty. Not heavy or too sour. It was just perfect. Thank you Selam and Solomon for a wonderful dinner. I will be back again soon and I recommend to anyone who loves Ethiopian food to check out this new restaurant.

Superb Ethiopian food. In some cases the dishes are $5-$6 cheaper than at some of the joints in Edgewater, particularly the lamb dishes. We had both the meat and vegan sampler and the quality and taste were excellent. Wonderful service, fresh ingredients expertly prepared, a full bar, terrific service. Give this place some love, Chicago.

The guy working here is super nice and helpful. They sell injera for $3 for 3 pieces. He claims it is the best in the country! It's super delicious and made fresh daily. They also sell meats but I went in during Lent and he keeps the place pretty much meat free during that time. They have a little shelf with some other difficult to find items.

Stopped in for a late lunch with my spouse. We had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed our meals. My spouse had the Awazé Tibs - beef and I had the vegan platter - Yetsom Beyeaynetu. The meals were very good and wonderful to share. We will definitely go back when we travel back to Chicago.

It was my family's first time eating Ethiopian food, and we had such a wonderful experience at Selam Ethiopian Kitchen! The food was delicious, and the service was very accommodating. The food is also all organic, and the injera (aka. flatbread) is gluten-free! Would love to return!

What really put me off about this place is that I got a dirty cup of water with a lipstick mark. The food wasn't as good as the reviews said it didn't have much taste even the dishes that were meant to be spicy were spicy at all and a bit pricey too for the portion size.

The food is both authentic (I am half Ethiopian and grew up eating Ethiopian food my whole life) and delicious. The meat stews are tender and flavorful, and the kitfo is so good. If you are here, you should try the Tej (Ethiopian honey wine). Trust me, you won't regret it!