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Abyssinia
Category: Restaurants Ethiopian Ethiopian [Edit]
229 S 45th StPhiladelphia, PA 19104
Neighborhoods: Walnut Hill, University City, Spruce Hill
(215) 387-2424
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
94 reviews for Abyssinia
Review Highlights
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"I always get the vegetarian platter (delicious." In 8 reviews -
"...powdered split peas), ye' gomen wot (collard greens), ye..." In 3 reviews -
"and my friend really enjoyed his collard greens." In 7 reviews
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94 reviews in English
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Review from Ayana P.
4/11/2012
When is yelp going to have a half star option. Abyssinia deserves a solid 3.5 stars.
3 for slowness.
My experience with both East and West Africans is that they don't rush. That's why I was generous by giving them 3 stars for slowness. That's just how they do things. You can't be mad. It's like going to Europe and being mad that they have universal healthcare.That's just how they do things. Your anger at their slowness is completely pointless. They're even extremely chilled out when collecting your money. We only do take-out. One time we called, then called back and lied and told them we are on our way so that they might have it ready. When we got there it still took 25 minutes.
4 for food.
The food is the best Ethiopian food in Philly in my opinion. My boyfriend, who is Ethiopian, introduced me to Ethiopian food in DC about a year ago. Prior to that, I thought it was the best everywhere. We can still stick with the best in Philly. I stick with the doro wot and the vegetarian platter. My boyfriend loves the zilzil tibs. -
Review from Shereen C.
Philadelphia, PA
4/30/2012
Abyssinia is solid enough for Philly, but I haven't had any good Ethiopian food in Philly. Multiple people have told me that either Abyssinia or Dahlak are the best places for Ethiopian, so I've basically given up on eating Ethiopian in this city. Unless I get a recommendation from someone who seems to know better.
Abyssinia's food is all right. Definitely edible. Some stuff is tastier, some is more on the bland side.
But, I LOVE Ethiopian food and can't get enough of it when it's great, or even just good. This was definitely disappointing. I have no desire to eat here again, which is saying a lot coming from me, given how much I miss Ethiopian food...
***And if you know an excellent place for Ethiopian in Philly, I implore you, please clue me in! -
Review from R M.
Manhattan, NY
4/17/2012
The first time I went to Abyssinia, the food was pretty solid. I am Eritrean and tried kitfo (raw meat) for the first time at Abyssinia and it was pretty good. But then everytime after that, the food was just awful. Here's the thing, I think because they serve a predominately non-Ethiopian crowd, they don't cook the food as well as they can. They get lazy with the ingredients. Throwing way too much onions into the sauces making them sweet, serving raw meat that tastes like it's been sitting at room temperature for an hour, and injera that is so thin you have to eat twice as much. Service is slow, which would be acceptable if the food was up to par. Eat at your own risk.....
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Review from Elizabeth M.
Philadelphia, PA
3/31/2012
My boyfriend and I decided to try this place a few days ago as neither of us had ever had Ethiopian fare, and we were looking for something new! The woman who played both host and server was great! She was attentive and friendly. We ordered the meat and veggie combos to get a taste of everything. The food came out quickly, maybe because we were the only table there at the time. It was delicious and affordable. I will definitely go back again. Plus, who doesn't love eating with their hands!!
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Review from Colleen M.
Philadelphia, PA
2/22/2012
Really well-priced, and consistently yummy. I don't eat meat, so I can't vouch for the lamb, but the vegetarian dishes are great.
Last fall, they had an an all-you-can-eat-vegetarian special on Wednesdays for around $10-12...the regular entrees are large enough that I don't think this is actually more food for your dollar than you'd normally get, but if you know a vegetarian with a huge appetite, it would be a great deal:) I'm not sure if they still offer this though, so call ahead.
I am still loyal to Almaz Cafe for Ethiopian in Philly (in my experience, their Tikil Gomen and Misir are a little better), but this is a close second! -
Review from Thomas G.
Philadelphia, PA
2/27/2012
The hope for a somewhat exotic experience was overshadowed by the unusually slow service which left some in our party a little irritated before the first dish arrived. They try hard to please but the kitchen and staff seemed unable to keep up with a fairly full house on a Saturday night. All might have been forgiven were it not for the disappointing food. The samosa appetizers, obviously cooked fresh as they were hot to the touch, were far too greasy. Worse, they'd clearly been frozen since the insides were tepid in spots, cold in others, despite the recent trip through hot fat!! They took nearly forty-five minutes to arrive because "they were being made freshly", but they'd clearly been made ahead of time and were being semi-thawed before deep-fried.
The entres were mostly bland and, frankly, though inexpensive to say the least, somewhat skimpy, especially with the vegetables rather than the chicken or lamb. After a while, many of the flavors of individual dishes blended into others despite the long list of exotic spices. One could not help feeling some of the dishes were tamed for domestic audiences.
There is no doubt the meal here will appeal to people either on a budget or unfamiliar with ethnic cuisine other than Asian, but on the whole it was not particularly memorable. -
Review from Indigo M.
Philadelphia, PA
Updated - 1/3/2012
I hate to take a star away from my favorite resturant, but they are way to slow!!!! The food is excellent. I always get the Yebeg Wot, which is the lamb. It is delicious, but sometimes they dont give you enough meat. But everyday I crave this dish!!1
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/17/2010
I was really skeptical about this place. I entered from the bar side and I didn't see many… Read more »
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Review from Maria C.
8/24/2011
I really like coming here because it's super affordable and the service is nice.
It's a simple place and I usually head here for lunch when the restaurant is fairly empty. I usually share a Vegetarian Combo platter for less than $10 which is perfect to share with another person if you're not too hungry. All the lentils and the cooked vegetables are DELICIOUS. -
Review from Nick G.
Philadelphia, PA
7/17/2011
This is a great spot. Very friendly staff, very quick service, a full bar, and delicious food. Great vegetarian options, but if, like me, you prefer the meat... you are in for a treat. The lamb options are fantastic. Don't be turned off when you walk through the bar... the dining area is quiet and clean. Price is very reasonable... I recommend the Abyssinia Special (#1 or #2) which runs about $12 or $13 and features a nice blend of the veggie and meat options. That with a $3.50 glass of the house wine makes for a nice, fun, tasty and different day out.
If you have never tried Ethiopian food... try it! You will love it! -
Review from Autumn E.
6/22/2011
I hate when I write reviews of places and then they disappear from yelp!
I love this place. It's affordable, more than you can eat, and good for an intimate/fun date, because you have to eat with your hands, usually off the same platter.
Combo platters range in contents from spicy to mellow, making it easy to switch up when your palette needs a break, or to share different aspects when one of you isn't in the mood.
Moderately priced, but worth it because all that injera that fills you up like no one's business. I want to ask for a fork sometimes for when I only have a little room left.
Last time I went, there was virtually no wait in any way... our food was basically instantly there. But we got there almost as the first customers, and they were prepping for a group, so I guess it was dumb luck.
Every time I'm there, a group of international travelers comes in, and a huge group of students on a trip or with orientation or something. I MEAN HUGE (20-35). I don't get it. But it quickly kills the atmosphere. :-/
They feature a bar, I think. -
Review from Nicole Z.
Harrisburg, PA
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love trying Ethiopian food in different cities. I was surprised to easily find 4 Ethiopian restaurants within a few blocks of each other in Philly. Two restaurants were nearly side by side! With that level of competition, my expectations were high.
Abyssinian is a clean, simple, fairly spacious restaurant. Our food was very good. Once we placed our order, the food came out quickly; placing the order was the problem. One member of the wait staff was particularly attentive & helpful, but she unfortunately was not our waitress! Our waitress seemed very confused by our order request, & I had to leave the table twice to go find her. She was not very attentive at all.
I would try the restaurant again when I'm in town, as long as I could chose my server. I would recommend the restaurant to others. -
Review from Jessica S.
Philadelphia, PA
12/3/2010
The food is good, but there was a mouse running around while I was eating the last time and it kinda distracted me from how tasty the food was.
My food is sometimes unusually cold (no, not warm; cold. Cold like uncomfortable to touch with my hands cold).
I've eaten here at least 7 times now and I'm not sure that I'll be back. -
Review from Nadim K.
Philadelphia, PA
4/16/2011
I could understand if the place was crowded and everyone was ordering food the kitchen would be backed up. If the chef was making dishes as they were being ordered then I would understand the 1.5 hour wait to get two dishes. SO the plate arrives right before I lose my short term memory and I think to myself , " Boy this better be worth it." As I break the piece of chicken with the injera I notice that the center of the chicken is COLD. 1.5 hours later I realize that the staff here is lazy and they dont care. They make it seem like they are backed up and busy but really they are standing in the hall way making jokes and having a good time and MICROWAVING THE FOOD.
Bottom Line - Super slow service, microwaved food, looks like your eating in someones run down living room. -
Review from David F.
Phoenixville, PA
7/28/2009
From what I understand, any Ethiopian Restaurant is only as good and authentic as its Kitfo (thanks Sam). And if I had to rate this Kitfo I'd say it was a complete success. Lets get something clear, if you're gonna order Kitfo then please don't be bore and eat it in its traditional and raw state. The way it's eaten in its homeland and the way it should be eaten here in the states (raw). . I couldn't stop eating the many different dishes we ordered and by the end of the food-fest I was stuffed (I think I still am stuffed, wheewww!). We had a mixture of raw Kitfo and other meats including great lamb dish, along with many of the vegetarian dishes which were some of the tastiest veggie dishes I've ever tasted. I love the family style served on a single platter for everyone to pick at with their own fingers.
I'll warn you that this isn't a Steven Star restaurant so don't expect a polished palace with all the decorative elements we all connect (wrongly) with a "good" restaurant. If there's one thing I'm learning is that a good authentic, ethnic restaurant should appear the way it would in its homeland. That means no disco balls, no fish tanks, no fancy paintings, no chandeliers, no upholstered chairs and sofa's, no dancing/singing waitresses, and not even a candle or flower on your table. How about this: JUST GOOD AUTHENTIC FOOD! Isn't that what this is about?
Abyssinia is good, authentic Ethiopian food served as it would be to their families back home. What more could you ask for other then some good home cooking. List me as a huge fan, and I'll be back again real soon (that's a hint Sam). -
Review from Sahra M.
Philadelphia, PA
2/19/2011
The only reason this place doesn't get full stars is because I never want to eat there.
I always get the vegetarian platter (delicious!!) to go.... Because to be honest, there is better ambiance in my living room. -
Review from jenny f.
Philadelphia, PA
8/5/2008
Oh man! I can't even justify two stars. I was SO looking forward to coming here... I love the 45th corner @ Locust and I'm totally down with eating with my hands. I brought a dubious friend and sadly his qualms were sustained.
Where to begin? I've had a couple great Ethiopian experiences prior to this (once in DC and also at *Almaz* on 20th near Walnut), so I thought I would get myself out to W Philly and give it a try. The service was SO so so SO bad. There's just one woman who walks around and she's a pretty slow person as is (it wasn't particularly crowded on this Thursday evening), but I felt ignored and rejected from her restaurant. At one low point, I thought it was quite possible that our food would never come. Once it did, 7 years later, my friend couldn't eat his meaty thing cause it was so damn hot, and my veggie platter was honestly just OK and sorta bland. I've had the veg sampler at Almaz (second shoutout, can't help it), and it's far superior and a bit cheaper.
Now let's do the math.... terrible service = no water refills. Terribly hot food = I need water NOW. The whole experience just felt kinda icky. I wanted to like the decor and layout of the restaurant, but it was really just meh. Hopefully my friend will still be up for trying new restaurants with me.... -
Review from Kimberly H.
Philadelphia, PA
9/19/2007
Love this place. They have okay beers (Lager and Sam Adams bottles) a full array of juices and it satisfies that palates of my carnivores, veggies, and epi-uncurious friends. Plus, you get to eat with your fingers. Who doesn't love that?
It's a group eating experience, so you should have your veggie friends specifically ask for a separate plate for their dinner. Some items are spicy so go easy at first.
They have a crazy cabbage dish that I love, and all the dal dishes I've had are really good, too. Beware, the chicken dishes come with a hard boiled egg, which sometimes looks a little weird when covered in the sauce.
BEWARE THE NGERA BELLY ACHE! Everything is served with a spongy almost pancake like bread (ngera) that you use to scoop your stuff up with. This stuff expands in your belly after you eat it, so try to go easy on it while eating or about 20 mins after you're done, you will have to pull an Al Bundy and pop that top button on your pants.
I've been here with 1 other person up to 10 people. The staff is really nice and there's a full bar upstairs too.Listed in: Veggies Welcome
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Review from Kristina M.
6/25/2008
Nice little neighborhood restaurant with an adjacent full bar.
As others have said before, the food is amazing! I think I had Ethiopian food for the first time here, and I'm already craving it. We ordered a salad, which looked at little bland, but turned out to be seasoned with a delicious, very peppery dressing. We also shared the vegetarian plate, which consisted of a sample of five or six different dishes, all of which were spiced right on-spot. I really liked the Injera bread, too, but beware - it does have the tendency to expand in you stomach.
No complaints about the service, either. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.Listed in: Veggie Boston
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Review from Ellen O.
Philadelphia, PA
2/27/2008
I used to live in West Philly and, well, that whole West Philly scene just wasn't for me. There just didn't seem to be much to do over in that neck of the woods, and to each his own by all means. However, Abyssinia and the little bar above it , Fiume, were two of my favorite haunts. I love the vegetarian platter at Abyssinia, and the only reason why I am giving the place 3 stars is because the service is just god-awful and slow as molasses! If you just need a quick meal this is not the place to go. I have waited up to 1&1/2 hours just to get a plate of food at Abyssinia. The upside to that is if you want to meet a friend to catch up over dinner, this is the place to go because you will get to chat it up forever...
...and ever...
...and EVER...
until your food finally gets to you. -
Review from Shaun O.
Philadelphia, PA
3/22/2009
Time for me to check out some Ethiopian food in West Philly, so I came here with my buddy and his girlfriend on Friday night.
As I have never had Ethiopian food before, I deferred to them on ordering. I did make sure to try out the manjo juice, and that was pretty tasty.
We had a large plate brought over with a thin wafer like dough. You then have different meats poured onto it, and use pieces of the thin wafer to scoop up some of the meat (just watch out for the bones!). Additionally, you can eat the bread that is underneath the meat, as it has soaked up the additional juices-it was a tasty treat in the end.
A few notes-come around 7pm and you can get a table. By 8pm, the place was full. The ambience is interesting, as it has a home style environment. The room is intimate and feels like you are apart of a large extended dining room. They also have a bar too. Prices aren't bad, and you certainly get enough of a serving size-especially if you go family style.
Overall, another hidden gem in West Philly that I just discovered -
Review from Dorie L.
Los Angeles, CA
2/1/2011 1 photo
They have decent priced lunch specials that are more affordable there. Food is great, just a little slow at times.
It's def more fun if you go with a group of friends for dinner, we ordered lamb, beef, chicken, vegetables, beans on a large plate of anjeer where we all used our hands and dug in.
If you are only going by yourself, or with one other person. My favorite dish to get is their meat combo. Make sure you go hungry because their anjeer (Ethiopian pancake/ bread where you use your hands to wrap food to eat) is plenty to the stomach. It comes with pork, lamb, beef, lentils and you will definitely walk out full and be ready to take a nap.
They also have a nice bar area right when you walk in, if you walk in early enough you'll always walk into some interesting conversations with very friendly old timers.
My recommendation is never go super hungry, but always go with a empty stomach. -
Review from Bill M.
6/8/2008 5 Check-ins Here
I really really want to say that I just caught Abyssinia on a fluke day. The food was incredible (albeit similar to some other spots). However the service and waiting times were ridiculous and just left a lot to be desired.
We were seated instantly but waited 15 minutes to have our orders taken. factor in the 5+ minutes that it took to get our mango juice and have our water glasses filled, the 20+ minutes that it took to get our entrees, the 5+ minutes to get our drinks refilled, and the 10+ minutes to get our bill squared away and you might be noticing a trend for the evening. I'm usually not one to be picky about such, But it was on a Sunday lull with an average amount of patrons. And we were seated next to a squeeky ceiling fan, so we were able to place an annoying sound to the waiting process.
The Lamb that I ordered was great and seasoned to perfection. and my friend really enjoyed his collard greens. But I found the food to be overwhelmingly similar to Dahlak's. But since I've never experienced the waiting issues I had while eating at Dahlak, I'm almost tempted to say go there instead. Abyssinia does have the best bar in all of West Philadelphia though (I think we all know about Fiume by now). And you can order Abyssinia's food while you drink up there. So I definitely recommend doing that to make the wait a little more fun.Listed in: West Philly Living, Veggielicious, Caliente!
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Review from Shazz M.
Philadelphia, PA
10/8/2008 1 Check-in Here
I've decided Abyssinia won. It was due to the discovery of the upstairs bar with the huge selection of tasty beers from all over the world. Chimay and Ethiopian... Priceless. I was a Dahlak fan but it hasn't been the same since the passing of the owner. Not to mention REALLY Dirty...
And since I'm not a west PHillthy hippy or wannabee hippie i don't dig the outside at Dahlak either.
The food At Abyssinia is fresher, plumper, more meat, tastier and just downright better. -
Review from Sara C.
12/27/2007
I much prefer Abyssinia to Dahlak (perhaps also due to being a block's walk from my house) - the staff is great, the food is prepared more carefully i think than the other Ethiopian spots. The atmosphere is perhaps not as warm as previous posters have mentioned of Dahlak, but the pros outweigh the cons.
The vegetarian platter is delicious, and surprisingly filling for two people. -
Review from Candice B.
Philadelphia, PA
10/4/2008
My favorite of the Ethiopian restaurants in the neighborhood. I always get the vegetarian combo and I am never disappointed. If I were rating JUST the food, I would give it five stars.
The rest? The decor is atrocious, the seats uncomfortable, and the stairs to the bathroom feel like they might cave in at any second. Expect to wait around 45 minutes to get your food, and expect that at least once, someone on the staff will look at you as if they hope you'll get jumped by a pack of hipsters from the Green Line across the street.
But you know, you go because it's good food, and because there's alcohol. -
Review from Kathy L.
New York, NY
4/3/2008
Get the meat combinations where you get 3 different meats and three different veggie sides over huge injera bread. Sometimes they will combine all the dishes ordered into one huge platter... Ask the waitress to keep the dishes separate so that a) you get more food b) nobody steals your share of the food and c) you don't know where your friends' hands have been.
The alicha wat (yellow lentils in a mild oniony sauce) is delicious! I'm still thinking about it... Mmm... I wish this place were BYO. -
Review from Andrew K.
Cambridge, MA
7/24/2011
Be prepared to wait. The service is slow and they will not be hurried. Some nights have been quicker than others, but after a couple of times, I just started working around it and planning to spend awhile there. The food has always been consistently good. I will say, however, that it's much better with a group. Some of my fondest memories of this place involve four of my friends, two Brooklyn Lagers in, around an empty dish of food. They're generous with the bread, so never fear about that. Also, it's better than the other Ethiopian/Eritrean food in West Philly.
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Review from Tina N.
8/4/2008
I went here for the first time yesterday, after hearing such great things about it. My table ordered the combination platters and shared everything. It comes out on a huge plate with all the meats, vegetables, sauces on top of the injera bread. They give you some injera on the side too. The idea is to take the bread and grasp whatever combination of meats, sauces and vegetable you can into it. There are no utensils so you should be comfortable with eating with your hands and your companion's hands.
The dinner was awesome and I can't wait to go back. The wait for the food was quite long. Although I understand that's because everything is made as you order it. I believe you can call and order in advance though. They do in fact have alcohol there, so if you have good company, and a couple of beers, the wait will seem insignificant when the food comes out. -
Review from Christina C.
San Francisco, CA
8/21/2008
We went here a few times with the recommendation of a coworker (who preferred Abyssinia over the other restaurant Dahlak).
The main dining room was big, and the tables were scattered. Instead of the traditional baskets, there were regular chairs and tables. The lighting is dim and sets a nice ambiance. The menu is vegetarian-friendly and meateater-friendly.
We ordered a few veggie entrees, a beef entree, a lamb entree, and the spicy chicken entree (doro wot) to split between 3 of us. We regretted not ordering an appetizer as it took quite a while for the entrees to come out. When it came out, it was on a very large plate and took up almost the entire table. Extra plates with Injera bread was given too. All of the dishes were very tasty and the meat selections were tender as well. I really like the doro wot as it had a nice kick to it, though the hardboiled egg that came with it is hard to split. We were very full and content and there was still food unfinished.
There is one lady working the floor. She is the hostess, the order taker, and the server. So when there are quite a few tables, service is quite slower. It was hard getting water refills sometimes.
I would have given it a 5/5 if service was better. But 4 will suffice. There is also a bar area where people were drinking, eating, and watching tv at.
Street parking can be a pain. One time we parked 1/2 a block away, another time 4 blocks away. -
Review from Scott H.
Philadelphia, PA
10/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've eaten at Ethiopian restaurants in NY and DC and the food at Abyssinia is comparable to some of the best authentic places. The injera is a nice dark brown, not Wonder bread white injera like some places that cater more to foreigners. My favorite meat dishes are kitfo lublub and Yebeg tibs, and both were excellent. I prefer 'beg tibs a little more crispy with the onions caramelized, but it was still very flavorful. I also asked for my favorite veggie dishes and was given a sample of each: shiro, kik alitcha, gomen, and tikkil gomen--all were great. I got there before 6, so I didn't sit in the dining room but by the bar. The crowd of older Ethiopian men hanging out by the bar watching Ethiopian videos on TV added to the experience and signaled to me this is favored by Ethiopians themselves.
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Review from Hilary P.
4/19/2011
Don't come hungry. Come about an hour before you think you'll be hungry. Then enjoy some of Philadelphia's best Ethiopian food. I really love the combination platters, especially #1 which comes with beef tibs. But there is nothing like ordering the Meat Combination. If you have to eat vegetables, I love the lentils and collard greens.
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Review from Jon L.
PA
2/1/2007
If I could, I'd give Abyssinia 2.5 stars, if only because I gave its competitor, Dahlak, 3 stars, and Dhalak is clearly the better restaurant.
Abyssinia has a few legs up on the Dahlak, though. First, its much more accessible than the big D, and I'd actually feel safe walking there from the University of Pennsylvania campus late at night. Second, it's a slightly brighter, more traditional dining experience, with plenty of room to accommodate bigger parties.
The bad part? The service is weak. And it can't just be me, because everyone I know says this about the place. You can wait as much as 45 minutes to get all your food on the table, and the plain, rarely full restaurant offers little to keep you amused during that huge, unexplainable time period (except beer). The injeri is nothing out of the ordinary, either, although I love the product itself so much that I would rarely complain.
Abyssinia also has a bar upstairs, which, thematically, has nothing to do with the Ethiopian food served below, but it does seem to draw in some interesting characters.
Another pro, I guess, is that, despite its convenient location, University City people tend to be much more familiar with Dahlak, so if you're looking for a more low-key Ethiopian vibe, it's probably worth checking out Abyssinia. -
Review from Ilana R.
Philadelphia, PA
4/9/2011
One of my top and most favorite restaurants in Philly. I always tend to default here or Vietnamese when craving ethnic cuisine. The food is amazing, cheap, and extremely filling. Love the wait staff. Yes, according to American Standards, service can be considered slow, but in this case its a great sign...it means the food is freshly prepared and cooked to order (for the most part) plus it gives the true feeling of an "ethnic restaurant ambiance." My family lived in Ethiopia and has always said that this is as close as they've ever had outside.
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Review from Samantha D.
Washington, DC
2/24/2009
Ate here on a Saturday night in a group of three. It was busy - wish I would have realized about the upstairs bar I'm now reading about, damn. Either way...service was slow but not on purpose. It appeared that there were only two servers for a packed room and then an additional server for the downstairs bar area which was also full of drinkers and diners. So slow albeit understandable being that short staffed.
Food was awesome. The spongy bread did definitely expand in your stomach after a bit - but totally worth it. Seating is fairly traditional and not the most up to date (I thought my friend was going to fall through her chair!) but it had good ambiance and seemed to be a really mixed scene in terms of age, singles/families, groups/couples, etc which made for a laid back but not too dull atmosphere.
Recommend it - just grab a drink at the bar first and go with people you like so you don't mind the wait! -
Review from Ben F.
Philadelphia, PA
7/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've gotten ethiopian food at many other places, and this was the last of the Selassie spots i visited in my neighborhood. I liked their staff a lot, of the food I got I liked the beans and other vegetarian options the best, not because I'm partial to the path of herbivore but because they did a good job of flavoring the sauce for the veggies. I even put that sauce on my beef tips.
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Review from astro t.
San Francisco, CA
2/1/2007
I enjoy this place partly because it's right there and the other part it has good food. Very comforting to eat with your hands. The restaurant intself is fairly spacious, always people there but never packed. The drawback again is the wait, maybe to get you really hungry for the food so go with good company.
Also, go enjoy the bar upstairs, it looks like it should be in my living room! -
Review from Rachel E.
Philadelphia, PA
8/29/2011
I love love love Ethiopian food, and Abyssinia does it so well.
Service is slightly slow, but I have never felt neglected here. The atmosphere is casual and nothing to write home about.
The lamb and vegetarian dishes are great. Beer selection is decent enough for a casual restaurant. They give you far more injera than you need. And the prices are so low and the portions are huge. It's never crowded and I have never been 'afraid' to eat the food.
Just remember that you pay up front at the register (the first time I came here I waited for like 20 min before I realized this).... And that you have to walk through the front bar area and up the little steps to get to the dining area. If you haven't been here yet, I HIGHLY recommend trying it. -
Review from Jonny S.
Philadelphia, PA
9/5/2007
Well, nice people, food was pretty good. I am not by any means a critic of Ethiopian food but the sampler seemed to hit all the high points. Waitress was a little "laid back" so we were delayed a bit (and could not make it to Target on time :( ) We figured the laid back service was consistent with African culture so no worries. I did not find anyone - staff or customers, even remotely mean. Even the homeless guy asking for change outside was cordial.
I will definitely be back.
Funny post script: Due to a waitress fowl-up, I was never charged for my meal. I called today (2 weeks later) to tell them and they've yet to call me back yo. -
Review from Jason S.
Philadelphia, PA
4/23/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Let's establish something from the get...
1. It may be busy.
2. They don't have a huge staff.
3. It's an East African spot... service may be somewhat leisurely.
If you're cool with that and know It's all bout the food you'll be straight.
Pros... Their kitfo is to die for. They do lamb very well. The berbere is very good... umm... did I mention the kitfo is to die for.
Cons... The injera has just a slight sour. I assume they use a little less teff,(sour tasting Ethiopian grain) than some... but it is still decent, and their greens are a little bland... those are my biggest negatives here... which are minute.
Great place to come to with a group of people, gather 'round a messob, relax, have some drinks, and enjoy some great Ethiopian fare.
2 more things...
1.The prices are outstanding.
2.The kitfo is to die for! -
Review from Jeremy L.
Philadelphia, PA
9/15/2008
This place is just overrated. Abyssinia really pulls it in with the Penn kids taking their parents to eat here, but the management clearly doesn't spend any money on the place or the staff. The moulding and fixtures look like they were installed by 5th graders. The walls are filthy and they have a ratty old AC running in the corner. I can't imagine what the kitchen looks like. While this kind of urban grittiness is what makes Fiume so charming, it just makes Abyssinia gross. We have to eat this stuff man.
The service is pretty slow although they are polite enough.
The food is decent but not really up to what you'd expect from being located near one of the biggest East African neighborhoods in the US.
With the Green Line having spent thousands on the place across the street, it is time for Abyssinia to step it up by hiring more staff and renovating the interior.
