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Addis Cafe - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Ethiopian Ethiopian [Edit]
1224 E Jefferson StSeattle, WA 98122
Neighborhood: Central District
(206) 325-7805
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
Charlene I. said: "I tried Ethiopian food for the first time at this location and I was pleasantly surprised. I really didn't know what to expect venturing off into this culture's cuisine, but everything I've tasted so far has been delicious!! The…" read more »
5 reviews for Addis Cafe
5 reviews in English
-
Review from Richard Y.
Seattle, WA
1/3/2008
this place is a house in the central district that's been converted into 1/2 restaurant 1/2 bar. far from trendy, addis is actually a little worn, with an earnest and comfortable vibe.
the living room is now a bar area, where mostly ethiopian patrons relax, drink, and play video poker. the kids are scattered around, drawing and watching a small tv. the owner sits in the back of the restaurant, tucked away from view, keeping an eye on what he built.
to get to the point, i really enjoyed the food. the sample platter is enough food for 4 people. most dishes are pretty spicy, yet balanced with a tangy seasoning. there is a variety of grilled meats, curries and pickled vegetables. no plates or utensils, but eating your hands is fun.
have yourself an ethiopian beer too. i chose based on the label with little reference otherwise. i got the one with the orange label and the castle on it. tangy and hef like, it might go well with your meal. -
Review from Jason A.
Seattle, WA
3/12/2007
In Seattle, Ethiopian food is still relatively exotic, especially if you live in the greater King County area. As a result, any Ethiopian restaurant will probably be an "experience," to say the least.
That said, visit this place. I'm no expert, but of the 6 or so Ethiopian restaurants I've been to, this is easily the best. One positive indicator: I was the only non-Ethiopian dining there.
As with most all Ethiopian restaurants, you eat with your hands using the spongy Injera bread. Despite the traditional etiquette, I always recommend this style of eating for a date. The normal bounds of hygiene and personal distance are checked at the door when presented with a wonderful plate of unpronounceable food.
The combination plate for 2 (as I will call it) comes with all types of meat and vegetable, each uniquely spiced and bathed in a hearty sauce. I won't even attempt to describe the flavors as they were so rich and varied.
I ate here another time with a friend, and I got the Doro Watt- chicken in a wonderfully flavorful sauce, which included a hard-boiled egg and yogurt. It was, I must say, the best Ethiopian dish I've had yet.
As a word of advice, my friend recommended the Hakim Stout, an Ethiopian beer. I tried it and am now in love with it.
Most plates run about $9.50 per person, and the combo plate for 2 is $19.99. You will not run out of food.
You must eat here. Period.
UPDATE: I came for lunch the other day, but the hours are posted as 1:00 to 11:00 (although I suspect they're open much later). Why open at 1:00? If you miss lunch, might as well open at 5:00... Ah well, still a great spot. -
Review from Jodi M.
Seattle, WA
12/22/2008
Addis was the first Ethiopian restaurant I ever tried, back in 1998 or so. Once i discovered Mesob, i had no reason to go back to Addis, especially after a couple of disappointments over the years. I can't say there was anything really tragic that kept me from going back, it just seemed that the food quality was inconsistent--sometimes really bland, sometimes just "meh".
Recently I had my kids down in Seattle at a playground and they wanted Ethiopian for dinner. We always go to Mesob and share the veggie platter with extra greens and yellow lentils because those are the dishes that aren't too spicy for the kids. That day, Mesob was closed for some mysterious reason, and the nearest substitute was Addis. I hesitated, based on the past disappointments but with the kids as hungry and cold as they were, i decided to give Addis another try.
I discovered that they have not improved the lighting at all, which makes me feel sick. The guys hanging out in the bar don't seem affected by it--there are always lots of happy people hanging out at Addis, so at least the surrounding atmosphere is pleasant.
The next thing i discovered is that the bathrooms are still DISGUSTINGLY unsanitary. The whole back hallway stunk like raw sewage and the tiny bathrooms reminded me of the way the NYC subway used to look and smell. My daughter was holding her nose the whole time we were in there and both kids were in a big hurry to escape the bathrooms.
After washing up, we sat for quite a while before the waitress appeared to take our order. I ordered the veggie combo and asked for an extra side of the greens and yellow lentils for the kids. I was told that there were barely enough greens left for the veggie platter, so i could not get any more than that. The kids were really disappointed and i thought maybe we should just leave and go somewhere else, but we didn't have much time before we had to get back to the eastside so i just got the extra yellow lentils. I was hoping that she would offer to make up somehow for the lack of greens, which to my knowledge are a staple dish at Ethiopian restaurants. No dice, we just got what we got.
I don't really have any complaints about the food, in fact i would probably give Addis 2-3 stars taste-wise, were it not for the aforementioned transgressions and the dead roach we found in the sugar shaker. We were so thoroughly disgusted by that time, any joy we could have gotten from the tasty Ethiopian food had been flattened.
If Addis were the only Ethiopian restaurant in town, i might return out of desperation, but there are plenty of others to choose from. Ethiopian restaurants aren't known for their cleanliness, but this one went too far for even my residual hippie tolerance level. -
Review from Benjamin J.
Tacoma, WA
1/1/2008
I'll admit that I'm no expert in Ethiopian food. I can't vouch for the authenticity of Addis Cafe, but the fact that I was the sole non-Ethiopian there probably does. My greatest worry was that, with the pool table and bar area at Addis, this would be the equivalent of Ethiopian bar food.
But my fears were completely neutralized. Spongy Injera bread supplies the foundation for beef tibs ($9.50). Unfortunately, they were out of Doro Watt (and Diet Coke, for that matter), but I wasn't disappointed. The beef was solid, and well-spiced (and a little spicy!). The Injera, kind of a cross between a flatbread, a pancake, and an edible doyley, was perfect for sopping up the spicy sauces.
Prices are reasonable, portions are plentiful. Service is with a smile, although very casual - this is the sort of place where the owner is always hanging around with the regulars, even playing pool. Don't be discouraged by the neighborhood (a transitional sort of area by the hospitals which is deserted and somewhat unfriendly at night) - this is a treat, and worth the trip. -
Review from Rassamee H.
Oakland, CA
8/12/2007
Addis has the best Ethiopian food! My husband and I took his father and sister there before going to nearby Waid's for some music and drinks. We had a vegetarian combo plate, a lentil combo plate, and the beef tibs. Everything was lovely, but I must say that the beef tibs were outstanding. They were quite spicy but in such a rich and fragrant sauce that I could not stop sopping it up with the Injera. Everyone helped of course, but I did claim most of it for myself. It helped that my fellow diners did not eat a lot of red meat. There are two sections of the restaurant. One is the bar and the other is up a short flight of stairs. The room is completely white; white chairs, walls, tablecloths, very chic. I swear they must use it for wedding dinners. I will definitely go there again and would recommend it to anyone looking for great Ethiopian food.
