Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen

Stumbled upon Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen while exploring San Francisco and decided to give Ethiopian food a try for the first time — and I’m glad I did! I went with the Meat Combination plate, featuring minchet abish, gomen besiga, and lamb alicha wot. Each dish had its own unique flavor, and the injera brought everything together beautifully. The spices were well-balanced — flavorful without being too spicy — and the textures were satisfying. It was a totally new experience for me.

I'm another person that was impressed with how clean and pleasant the small restaurant is considering the location. My first impression was good. The food is fresh and delicious. The cook was generous and I enjoyed looking at the beautiful photographs on the walls as I waited for my meal to be prepared. Prices are pretty good. I probably would have spend just as much money on pizza.

Humble and modest restaurant offering Ethiopian food. It was my first time tasting Ethiopian food so don't have any yardstick to measure the quality on this one. I found the food to be delicious. It's a unique and meticulous melange of spices and meat. They got reasonably wide variety of vegetarian food.

This was an absolutely delightful experience. The place served really good Ethiopian food. It's a small seating area, but since I went late in the evening, I could easily get seated. The place has studio look, with open columns, and gerders, which gives quite a fusion ambience. Server was really good, and fast. I had chicken, sambosa, and veg Platter. Their lentil dishes are really good. Injira was really soft, and sour. Right pricing. Overall a great experience.

The Tadu restaurant on Ellis just reopened! My husband and I have been dining at and ordering takeouts at Tadu, both locations, for years and we are super thrilled that Ellis reopened. The food is just amazing and the service / quality too - we highly recommend it!

It was my first experience of Euthopian food and I loved it. Simple and flavorful. The restaurant is small and cozy. Staff is really nice. I had chicken tibs and veg platter.

recommended by friend’s friend as must food have in SF, and yes it is! The dish are served with soft and yummy rolled wraps. The dishes come with big portion, very delicious.

Simple quaint restaurant tucked into a ground floor building. Tasty Ethiopian food. Lamb was tasty along with lentils and anjera bread/edible utensil. Friendly service also happy to teach and give us a sample of flax seed / honey drink. Prices are reasonable and sharing encouraged.

Pretty good non-pretentious gem downtown. Injera was excellent, also veg. combo and spicy mushroom/tofu tibs!

My wife and I were excited to place our first order with Tadu, but when the food arrived, instead of the traditional inerja bread we ordered, they substituted large stale french bread rolls. The inerja bread is the key component to the Ethiopian dining experience, substituting french bread makes the meal inedible. Tadu should know this!!!! And I certainly would not have spent $140.00 on this meal if I had known that's what they were going to receive. While the dishes were ok, having to use these stale french bread rolls completely ruined the meal! I called the restaurant and the manager said they ran out, so substituted the french bread rolls. This is not OK! Imagine trying to eat a Falafel or a Gyro in a stale french bread roll instead of a Pita? You wouldn't eat it! The manager told me to reach out to Uber Eats where I ordered the meal and request a small refund. OK, I can do this but where's the pride and responsibility for delivering the food the customer ordered? I received zero empathy for my situation from the manager. This isn't a situation of privilege. We don't eat out that often, so when we do it is a treat. Tadu completely let us down. I will never order from them again.

If you're open to trying new foods, this is the place to try! The Food was delish! I got the combination plate with both meat and veggies. Also the samosa's were fresh, handmade and also amazing! You will not be disappointed.

This place is great! Came here on a Friday night around 7pm, and had no problem ordering/ finding a table. They only have outdoor seating, so keep that in mind! For food we got the chicken tibs and then the meat combination. I really liked the chicken tibs- was saucy and flavorful! The meat combination was also great - the lamb and beef were both equally good as well. Make sure you order injera on the side to scoop everything up! For the veggies - I thought the collard greens were pretty standard, but loved the chickpeas!!

I've decided to increase the stars due to Tadu's special kitfo. I first tried raw kitfo (the original style) in Berkeley because it's my friend's favourite Ethiopian dish, while I'm usually more partial to awaze beg tibs (lamb). Her raw kitfo was flavourful, but the texture of raw meat wasn't my personal favourite, so I haven't had kitfo since. However, I noticed that people kept talking about Tadu's kitfo, and I really wanted to give this restaurant another shot since it's close by. It helped that they would cook the kitfo too if the customer wished. I ended up ordering the special kitfo cooked medium rare since it was spicier than the original kitfo, and the special kitfo had onions and jalapeños, which I love. And this kitfo is what I expected out of the lamb tibs. It was juicy, it was spicy, it had the Ethiopian spices I was looking for. Tadu has very plain lamb tibs in my opinion (Finfine in Berkeley makes the best tasting, spicy lamb tibs). But their special kitfo more than makes up for it. I only wished Tadu would make rare special kitfo. Medium rare was a little too cooked, but I don't want to get raw meat to take home during this pandemic, otherwise I'd give raw kitfo another shot. Regardless, if you want something spicy and different, get the kitfo.

Recently had lunch at Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen. The restaurant is in the heart of the Tenderloin neighborhood. The neighborhood is a bit rough around the edges so wouldn't feel comfortable going here at night for dinner by public transport yet lunch was just fine. The interior of the restaurant is clean yet a bit small so can feel a bit claustrophobic. It was crowded at the lunch hour as is a popular place. Due to the limited seating expect to potentially share your table w/ another customer. Service was just fine. I decided to go w/ the Veggie Combo which is my usual go to at Ethiopian restaurants. This is by default vegan/vegetarian. It came w/ Kik Alicha, Misir Wot, Gomen & Alicha Tikil gomen w/ sides of Azifa, buticha & salad along w/ served w/ Injera bread. For those who aren't Ethiopian food aficionados I will try to translate to simple terms as the Veggie Combo was a salad w/ two dressings, yellow split pea stew, spicy red lentils, cabbage, & collard greens served w/ injera bread. Overall felt the food here was equal or even surpassed some of the Ethiopian food I have had in the East Bay. I didn't find the food to be at all that spicy yet was flavorful, filling, & a solid meal. Feel Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen isn't a place for date night as is a hole in the wall w/ solid Ethiopian cuisine so come for the food not the ambience. Am curious to explore some of the other Ethiopian places in the City yet will surely return to Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen for lunch again. I especially like that they offer lunch as many of the other Ethiopian Restaurants in the City seem to be only open for dinner during the week.

I can always count on Ethiopian food to deliver THE burn.... ON B( I )TH ends. That just comes with the territory when eating spicy food. Let's get the obvious out of the way, this Tadu location is deep in the TL. When I came for a solo lunch, there were loiters outside but they didn't bother me. Depending on which direction you're walking from, some streets can be seedy. If you're weary about venturing into the TL, they have a second newer location in Mission Bay. Like most immigrant mom and pop shops in the TL, I think the divey location adds to the charm. It's a tiny spot which can seat a max of 12 people and that's even pushing it. Come solo or bring A friend. This is not a place for larger parties. I ordered the Lamb Tibs ($14.95) and on that day, it included Misir Wot (spicy lentils) https://bit.ly/2m0dJvq. All entrees are served with salad and injera (spongy sourdough flatbread). I requested that my order be made spicy and requested ayib (like Ethiopian cottage cheese) on the side to cut the heat. The highlight of my meal was the Misir Wot. The lentil stew was richly spiced and deliciously thick with a good burn. The injera's sourness perfectly offset the richness of the stew. Unfortunately, the Lamb Tibs were a disappointment: https://bit.ly/2msBtZr. While bursting with robust berbere spices, the lamb tibs were overcooked, tough, and full of gristle. The lone staff (cook and cashier) spoke limited English so it's best not to make complicated requests. Everything is made to order so expect at least 15-20 minutes for your order. Overall, tasty Ethiopian food but probably best to stick with the veggie items. Once a year for a week, after Abiy Tsom (lent), Tadu serves Doro Wat, a spiced chicken stew which I'll have to return for.

Located in the Tenderloin, this Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen's surroundings is not too scary during the daylight hours. And as always, be aware of your surroundings. Food-wise, the dishes my friend and I tried were good. The lovely server was also super accommodating and even demonstrated to us, how to fold the injera bread, when he discovered that this was our first time trying Ethiopian food. Thanks to him, no one will ever know. Food ordered: 1. Special Kitfo (5/5): The special Kitfo is quite unique. Made with lean, ground beef (you can order this any level of "rare" you would like, but we got it well done) and mix of veggies and special spices, the savory kitfo was a delightful compliment to the sour yet soft, injera bread. Since it is not particularly sauce-y, the injera absorbed the perfect amount of kitfo, and stayed in tact. 2. Lamb Tibs (3/5): Let me give you a little tib: for those who like meat and stir fries, this is for you. Honestly, the lamb tibs reminded me of a lamb stir fry since you get pieces of lamb and chopped vegetables. The lamb marinade may be slightly different of course, but it wasn't too extravagant, to the point where I thought I was trying something entirely new. All foods ordered are served, side by side, on the same platter or a larger piece of injera bread.

For someone who is not a Yelper he's exceptionally efficient with identifying local restaurants. Yelp apparently has an option for 1.0 mile radius search. I had my heart set on Dog Patch and he wanted Ethiopian because we've not had it together before so even though it's a 1.2 mile hike, we made it happen via Lyft. There are plenty of great Ethiopian places in Arlington Virginia, Oakland California but it's not so often you run into one in the city. I like how quaint and tiny it is. The decor is suitably African. Heat waves had not rolled across the Bay yet. I had my green long coat on and was in the mood for something hearty. We had beef and lamb. All of it comes with greens. The fried dough with beef was super flavorful. I liked the spices that went into the dishes. The area is sketchy, but inside felt peaceful and quiet. The food definitely is home made. We asked the greeter if he owns the place and he says yes. Rarely do you still see small family operated restaurant in the city these days. The meal is protein rich, packed with amazing flavors. It felt like a hole in a wall. I don't think he had expected it to be that small of a restaurant, though. Though he might not think I would like something like this, perhaps too causal for my usual go to places, I did like it very much. The food had all the right texture and flavors. It was small but efficient. Food got served promptly so we could return home to rest and not spend an entire evening waiting to be served. Definitely a neighborhood gem!

Being a resident of South Bay, I have had really good Ethiopian food from places like Walia and Zeni. When I was in the city and I came across Tadu, I thought I'd give it a try. It definitely did not disappoint! The restaurant is kind of small, like a cafe but there was ample seating available by the time I walked in around 8 pm. I was by myself and I ordered the veggie combination and the lamb tibs (which could've been enough for 2 people). I definitely over-ordered but I had a really tough time deciding because everything sounded so good. It all came in a single plate with a basket of injera rolls on the side and I dug right in. Save for a couple of items in the veggie combo that I feel I've had better of at other places, the whole plate was really good. The lamb tibs were really delicious though. Combined with the sourness of the injera, I really couldn't stop eating it. The service was 5/5. Overall, I really enjoyed Tadu and I would frequent it more if I lived nearby.

Yum! Lamb Tibs is well flavored and the red lentil side is deliciously neutral and light. The best part is the gluten free injera- really deep and slightly tart pumpernickel flavor. It's also great with eggs the next morning.

Amazing food! This was my first time trying Ethiopian food and i'm definitely craving more after eating here. Their injera comes in little rolls that you unravel to scoop up your food. We ordered the vegetarian combo and a few others with lentils, collard greens, and salad. Lentils were probably my favorite, but all were delicious. Prices were reasonable - total came out to around $12 for each of us. Definitely recommend! Another plus: black sugar is only a block or two away if you're craving dessert afterwards

This was the first time I went to an Ethiopian restaurant. it's definitely distinct from other African cuisine. I went to something I thought was Ethiopian before, but my friend to let me know it was more East African. Let's start off with the location: it's definitely not in the nicest part of town. We were actually walking around the city and decided to go here, so we experienced first hand how dirty the streets were. I'm not sure where you would park, but best of luck to you. The restaurant inside is small, but there was only one other party in the restaurant. The menu is a bit on the shorter side than what I was expecting, and I pretty much let my friend order for us since he has eaten Ethiopian cuisine before. From what I understood, dishes tend to come individually, but if you ask you can order it family style, where it's one platter that you can share with your table. We opted for the family style. On our platter, we ordered sambussa (lentils), vegetarian combo (kik alicha, misir wot, gomen, and alicha tikil gomen with sides of azifa, buticha, and salad), beef tibs. All were pretty flavorful. We got this with the traditional Ethiopian bread, injera, which is interesting and meant to soak up the juices of the food and provide a slightly sour contrast, kind of like sourdough bread (but a totally different texture). They also included some injera under the food on the platter, but in soaking up flavor got really, really sour. One last thing: the food is meant to be eaten by hand. You can also ask for a fork, which does help eat the last bits on your plate. Overall an interesting experience with different flavors than I am used to. Definitely makes me interested in trying more Ethiopian food.

Me and my wife were in the neighborhood and decided for Ethiopian food. Found this beautiful restaurant just few blocks away. This is the first time we tried at this restaurant and I would say taste was pretty good. We ordered a vegetarian combo. It includes 4-5 curries (1 spinach, 1 lentil spicy, 1 lentil non spicy, cabbage) Of all the curries misor wat (lentil spicy) was the best. We again ordered a side of the same. That's the best part to it Injera was soft and flavorful Salad was not great. Price was reasonable.

Was craving Ethiopian food and had been told about this place from a friend, well it did not disappoint! The food was phenomenal and delivered hot and fresh. I will definitely order from Tadu again I had the Special Kitfo and it was perfectly spicy and exactly what I was craving.

I'd like to talk about what happened with the order last night. We've been long time customers (4 years) of Tadu and last night was a big problem. We ordered from Postmates while we usually just call and pick up. They have cut their portion sizes by more than half and instead of canceling the order, they proceeded to give us subpar food with missing items. $75 of tadu food usually leaves me and my boyfriend uncomfortably full but we were both starving after eating what we could of what was delivered. The salad had some terrible gunk all over it, in the veggie combo all of the vegetables were missing (no gomen or Alicia kik gomen). The injera was clearly day or two old, dry and breaking. Not like it has ever been before! I'm so bummed cause I used to love their food! The way they treated our delivery man, Donald was not fair. He said he was forced to wait for over an hour for the food there as orders were picked up by drivers that the restaurant knew. He said this is not unusual and that it has been a problem lately with restaurants profiling the pick up people and making them wait. I understand we are in the middle of Black Lives Matter, but treating an older white man like that and making him wait that long is not fair. I gave him a $30 cash tip when he arrived. It's just not fair to him. He ended up finally being able to get the food 2.5 hours after we had ordered and we got our food almost 3 hours after we had ordered it. This was totally irresponsible and bad business. Donald has his tip in cash so he is taken care of but he was visibly upset at how he had been treated and I think that needs to be acknowledged by Tadu. This has made me rethink my ever wanting to patronize this restaurant ever again.

Coming here late in the evening can be dangerous since it's in the Tenderloin but trust me, the food is well worth the risk! Had the chicken tibs and boy was it delicious! Full of flavor and they give you a side of injera to eat with as well! The spice can be adjusted with the jalapenos on the side which was a nice touch. Quick service, friendly and helpful staff, and overall great quality of food! The only reason I gave this place 1 less star is the location. Not exactly the safest neighborhood but well worth the trouble.

Well, let's start by saying that I know nothing about Ethiopian cuisine. I must admit that this was my first time trying it and, boy, I just realized all I've been missing. Ordered the veggie combo, served with injera bread. Think a variety of spicy vegetable preparations, in different temperatures, some of them acidic and others not, with wild flavor combinations. Mesmerizing. Minuscule dining room, like so many other places in SF. Attentive service. Colorful clientele. And yeah, you get to eat with your hands!

Never have I ever ate Ethiopian food in bed... Until now! After a long week of work and travel, I was dead tired but it was Friday night and I was in San Francisco. Gotta live it up, right?! Well, on this particular night, "living it up" turned into ordering takeaway Ethiopian food with Yelp food delivery and cozying up in bed. Yes, I ate this messy, fragrant food in the comfort of my hotel room. Quite a different experience than I'm used to, but one for the books. Now, don't think things didn't get a little crazy. Sure, I wasn't dancing at a club, but my heart rate was jumpin' as I briskly walked through the Tenderloin to find Tadu. I considered turning around and calling an Uber a couple minutes into my journey. Even in the daylight, I probably wouldn't walk through here again by myself. Even if it is 0.3 miles away. My food was ready when I arrived. When it comes to Ethiopian food, the veggie options are usually my favorite so I ordered the vegetarian combination. I was also intrigued by their speciality, kifto, spicy raw beef. Yep, as if eating Ethiopian food in bed wasn't weird enough, I added raw beef to the mix. Living life on the edge, I tell ya. To cap it all off, I got a big bag of injera to sop it up. All in all, it was pretty darn good! I had never tried kifto before but am a fan of steak tartare which is somewhat similar. I could only have a couple of bites and there's no way I could ever finish a whole platter on my own because it's just too rich (and raw?). Loved the spice and overall flavor though. I basically ordered two entrees for myself and only finished about a third of the food before I was stuffed to the brim. It was all super hearty portions and a great price. The restaurant itself is very small and casual. I would definitely venture here if I was craving Ethiopian (as I so often do). There's so much more I want to try!

Update: I've since become a regular ordering from Tadu. Portion sizes have also improved ... but just to be sure I make a single order of homemade & mushroom tibs. Delightful

I know everyone is saying it's authentic...but it didn't taste like Ethiopian. Yeah, I know it's Ethiopians (or Eritrean) and Mexicans? in the back cooking up a storm, but the food was like going to a Chinese Bamboo authentic restaurant with all Chinese staff and you find out that "real" mandarin food doesn't generally come from anything with Panda or Bamboo in the title. But instead they cooked for the popular masses... That's how we felt at Tadu. High scores. Yay. But come to Los Angeles and go to Little Ethiopia and your taste buds will dance. You will will taste what you've been missing.

Tadu is a small space run by a single gentleman who will make sure you have a good meal and leave satisfied. Our food was fresh, tasty and came out quickly considering there's no huge kitchen staff in the back filling order.

Great no-frills Ethiopian food. If location matters to you, just note that's in the Tenderloin. If you're craving simple Ethiopian at a casual spot, this is the place for you. The seating area is pretty limited but service is super quick. Extremely affordable, Tadu provides equally good meat and vegetarian options which will leave you feeling full and satisfied.

Thank You Elias! I've been living in DC (the largest Ethiopian Community outside of Ethiopia) for the past 17 years and had my more than fair share of my exposure of the Ethiopian Cuisine. from the popular one like "Doro Wat" to the Raw Hanging Meat that the Ethiopians serves at their weddings "Kuert / Tere Sega" or "Milas Ena Senber" I know it all. I had a very nice conversation with Elias the owner about some of the Restaurants and some of the unusual menus that the Ethiopian Restaurants serves in Washington DC / VA / MD area. this place is good for those who are curious about Ethiopian Food and for the first timers. try their "Kitfo" or "Special Kitfo" (since the owner is a Gurage Man) and the dish is originated from his tribe. for real Afficionado, you don't get them in SF Bay Area. you must come to Washington DC (U st) or VA (Skyline / George Mason Dr / Columbia Pike).

Ethiopian is incredibly vegan friendly and you can't get much better Ethiopian in the city than Tadu (for an upscale experience, check out Radio Africa Kitchen). All their veggie dishes are pretty much vegan so for those who sometimes second guess like me, this is a vegan SAFE place! And if in doubt, ask the incredibly friendly wait staff who are patient with first timers and veterans alike. I highly recommend the veggie combo which comes with: - Gomen: collard greens - Alicha tikil gomen: cabbage, potatoes, carrots - Misir wot: split lentil (my favorite!) - Kik alicha (chickpea) - And sides azifa: lentils (ridiculously good), buticha: ground chickpeas, and salad - With a basket of injera This is a small place (4-5 tables) usually full of other Ethiopians, so come early to beat the rush.

Such a hidden, hole in the wall...that every local person who loves ethiopian food knows about! Haha. I don't exactly know what authentic ethiopian food is but I eat it enough to know exactly what I like. Tadu is up there with the best of them. It's located right smack in the middle of the TL...the beautiful scent of urine just a few steps away. Don't even think about that and just go in to experience some deliciousness. Two must haves: Special kitfo - typically eaten rare but we went with medium rare. This is Tadu's most beloved dish and what they're known for. It's pretty much ground beef with jalapeños and seasoning. Don't ask me what seasoning cause I have absolutely no idea! Lamb tibs - Bomb.com...order it, don't look back, and just put it in your mouth. Mmhmm... Don't forget the injera. If you need more, you can always ask but they give you plenty. The place is super small so you might have to wait for a table. It appeared that most peeps ordered togo. Super affordable prices. Friendly peeps.

I think this might be my first yelp review. I love Ethiopian food and tonight ordered two dishes and 3 sodas for over $40. I will attach the photo of the shiro. It tasted off and with one swipe of the injera there was a layer of mold underneath. Clearly I threw all the food away. It makes me sad to write this review, but I don't want anyone else to get sick.

All the food I ordered was absolutely delicious - we ordered both vegetarian and non-vegetarian! It was everything I was craving - spot on! Also portion sizes were generous - below is a picture after a few minutes of excited eating by two people!

Totally blown away by this food. As a first time Ethiopian food taster, I was NOT disappointed. From being greeted to our dinner seat, to recommendations for vegetarians options, everything was wonderful. The service was attentive and the food was incredible: one things tasted better than the next! My friend and I shared the Lamb Tibs, with an appetizer order of the Beef Tibs in the centre. The platter had a little bit of each Side order and every bite was packed with flavour. The Misir Wot bread was a unique consistency and perfect for picking up bites of food -- no cutlery necessary! (Though available, if requested)

Excellent and super affordable food. The vegetarian and the vegan options are clearly marked on the menu and they are plenty! It is a small place which makes it very cozy and you can see what's going on and by the kitchen as they cook and serve the dishes. My friend and I had the vegetarian combination platter which is good for sharing between two people. The flax seed and honey drink (Telba?) is delicious. A great find and the waitstaff is the sweetest. Recommended!

This place is ridiculous. I haven't experimented much with ethiopian food but this place has definitely spurred my interest in this type of food. It's so unique and tasty! Got the veggie combo and added beef tibs and special kofti. The different portions of the veggie combo had their own unique flavors. Didn't really know what I was eating but each bite brought a blast of amazing savory flavors. It's hard to explain why it was so good, but it was magical and I will be back for more

"Tadu"....more like "TaDUHHH you need to come here for Ethiopian food" Was that bit of a stretch? Probably, but you can tell that I am a fan of this place. Can I compare it to other Ethiopian food places? NOPE, because this was my first time trying Ethiopian food. Was I satisfied? Most definitely! My friend took our group here and we absolutely loved it. I, personally, enjoyed the lamb tibs more but everything we had was delicious. Love the texture and how airy their injera was. No frills joint serving flavorful Ethiopian cuisine.

Open during COVID! Big fan! Super clean and modern inside as we ordered and waited. The food was really good. We got a lot of everything but I enjoyed all the 'bits' and lentils. Everything sort of started to taste the same after awhile but the flavors were really good. Deep, buttery and savory flavors. It didn't feel overly heavy either so that was a huge plus. The salads were meh but I really liked the lentils! I'd recommend the chicken 'bits' which were chunkier pieces of chicken and get the ground beef (or other meat). The soft off putting bread was sooo soft and delicious with all the flavors. So glad I found an Ethiopian restaurant nearby.

Delicious Ethiopian food in a very newly built up part of town. While the atmosphere is a little "modern mall" for my tastes, I suppose it fits in with the neighborhood. What matters is that their dishes taste wonderful, are huge and are filling. Great for vegetarians.

I've only tried Ethiopian food a handful of times, but I've loved it every time and this place was not any different. The amount of seating here is quite minimal, so we were lucky to snag a table for 4. My girlfriend and I shared the vegetarian combo and beef tibs. I love when they serve the dish on top of a big piece of injera along with rolled up pieces of injera on the side. It's fun to eat the food with your hands and the veggies and meat were all very flavorful. It was such a pleasure to eat here and I'm sure i'll be back.

Tadu is a small restaurant, but offers big, flavorful food. I'm not the biggest fan of Ethiopian food, but my company came here for an office lunch. We had a new hire who wanted flavorful vegetarian food. That particular day was very crowded because of a conference nearby, so our wait was a little long but manageable. I think my colleagues would probably rate this place a 4, but personally I don't think this is food I'll ever crave. The sambussa (very similar to a samosa) was very good. And I really liked the beef tibbs--delicious spices. However, the other food was only okay. A little too saucy/soggy for me, but I think my vegetarian co-workers liked it. I was really happy learning about telba--a cold drink made of ground flax seeds and honey. Unfortunately I had to ask for it 4 times before getting it. I removed one star for the long wait and space. Plus, another one for the food. However, if you love Ethiopian food and are closeby, I would recommend!

I haven't had Ethiopian food in years and this was a great introduction back into the cuisine -- Tadu is a no-frills locally-run mom-and-pop restaurant, small in size but mighty in flavor. I came with a friend and we ordered the lamb tibs and collard greens. As is with Ethiopian food, you don't get utensils -- what you do get is delicious wrapped injera rolls to pick up your food and stuff your face with. I found the lamb tibs to be quite tender and flavorful and the collard greens were perfectly cooked. It's in a slightly sketchier part of town, so I'd go with a buddy if you're going late!

A gem in the Tenderloin; a few seats and a menu full of Ethiopian treats. The vegetarian combination is very filling and reasonably priced. I kinda of wish there was a meat combo, but instead all the carnivore options were just the meat with injera. Guess I'll have to come back with a friend next time to justify getting the veggie combo *and* a separate meat dish. Beef Sambusa: The sambusa itself was very similar to a deep fried empanada. I suppose many cultures have the concept of wrapping ground meat in dough and then heating it in oil. However, the red sauce on the side was amazing! Had a little spicy kick, but not overwhelming. Full of so much flavor that it really brought these sambusas to the next level. Vegetarian Combination: Loved the variety of 6 different items on one plate. My favorite was probably the misir wot since I love me some berbere. The kik alicha was pretty tasty too since chickpeas are a nice hearty pairing to the spongy injera bread. The gomen was a little bland, but mixing those collard greens with any of the mushier items solved that issue. The alicha tikil gomen seemed to have a better blend of spices adorning the veggies. The small amounts of buticha and azifa were a bit intense by themselves, but enhanced the other items when a dab was added.

Went here on a whim when I was here for a conference. The shiro wot and mesir wot were sooo flavorful. Very generous portions and gave more than enough of the delicious injera bread. Love these mom and pop shops, and this one certainly didn't disappoint. When I asked which one he'd recommend, he told me the shiro wot and gave me a scoop of mesir wot on the side to try. Loved this couple and wish their restaurant the best!! On a side note, I went by myself and got catcalled at least 5-6 times in the time that I walked the 0.2 miles from where I was. If you're with a family or it's after dark, I'd recommend grabbing a Lyft or Uber to get to the area.

Tadu is great if you know what to order and what condiments to request. I really hope this location stays around for a while because they're so damn unique. I'm also appreciative of restaurants who state which items are vegetarian & vegan right on the menu. The knowledgable staff here help further fine tune what you might order if you are the enlightened type who trys to avoid consuming animal products. They are awarded stars here as such: 1. Ambiance: It's comfortable and they there's wonderful Ethiopian decorations 2. Food: the stews are all very flavorful. Their spicy hot powder, available by request, is just what you'd need to bring the heat up a notch 3. Tadu is Vegetarian & Vegan friendly. They know their ingredients so they can advise which dishes will suit those with self imposed dietary restrictions. I couldn't give Tadu five stars because, for me, the fifth is reserved for restaurants who offer vegan proteins (e.g. TVP, Gardein, Beyond Meat etc.). However, had 'Yelp!' offered reviewers a choice of several celestial bodies, I would have awarded Tadu four stars and one crab nebula! WHAT TO ORDER?: Get the vegetable medley (with eggplant or mushroom) and Vegetarian combo‼. The injera bread is made with teff & millet (i think) so that's always cruelty free. Maybe this is too much to ask but I think the problem with all Ethiopian restaurants is that they have yet to offer vegan mock meat proteins. Vegans are a loyal subset of the Ethiopian restaurants. Given the smaller selection of choices we have for restaurants they can expect a higher return visit rate from the vegetarian community. I wish they could work in bulk vegan food items as outlined in guide for restaurants who want to offer such things such as this one below: http://www.mercyforanimals.org/VRGFRNational.pdf

Excellent food and service! We had a great experience at Tadu from the moment we walked in. The space is small but we got a table for two immediately at 8:15 on a Saturday night. We ordered the beef sambussa, veggie combo and lamb tibs. Sambussa were flavorful and perfectly crisp. They also came with a really good dipping sauce (next time I'll ask them to keep that at the table for the meal--it's a great condiment). Veggie combo and lamb were perfect. I liked the lentil wat and cabbage/potato the best. We weren't crazy about the salad in the middle. The lamb tibs were cooked perfectly! The njera here is really light:airy and not too sour. It was the perfect accompaniment! For about $40 including tip, this is now one of our favorite places in the nabe.

It's a small place with limited seating. The service is a bit slow as there are only three people including the chef. The approach to the restaurant is not ideal but all unpleasantness that becomes worth it for the food. We ordered the vegetarian Banatuu and the vegetarian combination. Banatuu has become my best Ethiopian dish I ever ate! Injera pieces are cut and fried along with veggies infused with spices and served on a layer of injera! The portion was perfect which is usually my concern with Ethiopian food. Over all enjoyed the food and would definitely recommend for great vegetarian options!

I frequent and love this place! I appreciate that it delivers consistent quality of food, provides plenty of injera, and that the injera is of my desired thickness (usually it's too thin for me at some other places) I particularly love the gomen and have ordered it on its own, but my go to is the vegetarian combo. I've also ordered delivery a couple times and have been pleasantly surprised, because their delivery orders don't skimp out on the soft, flavor soaked injera underneath. I totally think Tadu is a deal because it usually lasts me a couple or few meals and is some of the tastiest Ethiopian food I've had. I highly recommend this spot for anyone ordering Ethiopian!

Love this little hole in the wall with super authentic Ethiopian food. My Ethiopian friend highly recommended this place. Also another added benefit: no corkage for wine served! We got the veggie platter and the lamb tibs. Super delicious. Love the Ethiopian bread that's soaked with the lamb sauce. Get the moderate spice to have a bit kick in the food. Service is great. Fantastic for a laid back night and we will be back!

Very small place with great food. My wife and I came here before a show. Very happy we did, but it is good to be aware that there is pretty limited seating here (5-6 2-person tables). We came here moderately hungry. Veggie Sambussa: 4/5. Three modestly sized appetizers that came with a great sauce. Veggie Combo: 4/5 Great way to try all of the veggie dishes. 2 of us split the two dishes above. We got another order of the bread to finish off the veggie combo dish and left pretty darn full. I might want to try the chicken tibbs dish next time. Favorite dish name: Timatim FItfit. We were able to call 15 min before we arrived to put ourselves on the list for a table and glad we did.

Best Ethiopian food i've had, and I have had a lot (admittedly in the US, not the source). The flavors are intense and amazingly different from one of those little piles on the injera to the next. I highly recommend the Vegetarian Combo (on the specials menu) and Lamb or another Tibs. This will serve 3 and probably 4 people. Lamb was ridiculously good, grilled and then mixed with a flavorful sauce of onions and tomatoes and a bit of heat. Even a couple of little bones to suck on. I looked up the dishes on the veggie combo and most are variations of lentils and chickpeas, yet each tasted completely unique. I have been trying to make injera and had a conversation with the cook about how they make theirs which is excellent. It's mostly teff but does have some wheat flour. There is an imported, gluten-free pure teff injera available but the house made is better and also cheaper. Get that unless you are gluten intolerant. Tiny place, zero atmosphere unless you count the friendly people and the homemade drawings on the walls. But who cares... you are here for the food and it is great.

Food was delicious, order was quick, staff was friendly. I love they have so many vegetarian options. I'm writing a review because of the excessive plastic packaging I got in the order. Everything came with a plastic box/bag... i wish they had more eco friendly packaging. I also wish Yelp or Grubhub can provide the option to not include any plastic items that are not needed when ordering. Next time I will just call the restaurant to take those things out.

The next time someone comes to visit San Francisco and asks me where to eat, this will be at the top of my list of recommendations!! I have not had Ethiopian food in years, and Tadu reminded me of everything I was missing out on. The food here is incredible, and I'm starting to crave the Lamb Tibs and House Salad as I'm sitting here and writing this review. I came here at around 6:30 PM on a Friday evening. That or earlier is probably the best time to show up, because there are only a handful number of tables in this restaurant, and by the time I left with my friends, there were tons of people waiting outside. On that note, come with 2 to 4 people per table. This is not designed for large groups. The Lamb Tibs were incredible. Very fresh, flavorful, and filling. I especially loved the house salad. It sounds simple, but the dressing is so so addicting. Personally I could not finish this plate alone, but then again I have a tiny appetite. I'll be back very soon and very often!

Lovely lunch with co-workers while I was in town! This lil spot hit the spot! I had the Veggie Tidbits and they were fantastic! Wonderful plate of multiple vegan dishes with fantastic spice and a taste of freshness! I dug my unhealthy Fanta soda, with my healthy lunch! Staff was really sweet and very attentive, filling waters and making sure we had everything we needed.. This is a clean cool place with great food! Dig in!