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Awash Ethiopian Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Ethiopian Ethiopian [Edit]
4979 El Cajon BlvdSan Diego, CA 92104
Neighborhood: Rolando
(619) 583-9225
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
41 reviews for Awash Ethiopian Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"I highly recommend the vegetarian combo, you get a little..." In 4 reviews -
"If you're 21+, the tej (Ethiopian honey wine) is a must try." In 3 reviews -
"The yellow split pea dish was excellent." In 3 reviews
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41 reviews in English
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Review from AL S.
1/4/2012
I LOVE ethiopian food. I used to eat it in San Francisco at least once a week, they had Ethiopian on almost every corner. When I moved back to SD I had to find a place. In the past few years a few new places have opened up but this hole in the wall seemed like it would be the most authentic/cheap/tasty.
I came in for lunch on a weekday and we seemed to be the only customers. Everyone else in there was sitting and chatting with the employees. At first they were attentive, getting our order bringing out the food, but when it came to getting the check it took at least 20 min. The lady that took our order had her back turned to us and everytime she got up it was a struggle to get her attention.
But as for the food goes..its very good. My friend and I shared the vegetarian combo. We asked if it was enough to share and she sort of laughed and said if you think so.hm..... well it was. It was too much. The two lentil type more mushy dishes were my favorite. Even though the service was somewhat lacking that day..I will definately come back. -
Review from T S.
San Diego, CA
1/23/2012
1. Walked in and the place was full of incense smoke. So much that my eyes were watering and I felt slightly asthmatic . Not fun.
2. She refused to take the http://Restaurant.com certificate. She claimed she's been telling them to remove her business for years. I wrote them a note and I hope they took her off because she's probably getting plenty of business from them and then not honoring the coupons. SHADY.... SHADY..... SHADY....
The waitress barely spoke English and then the owner came in and she was not a nice person. We should have walked but we wanted to be adventurous and try something new.
3. I tried a chicken dish and it was decent but not a lot of meat at all. They served a mountain of the bread and although I can't say it was tasty - it was interesting. He ordered some beef dish and the beef was so dry it was almost like beef jerky! He ended up eating most of my dish. We took home the leftovers but they ended up in the trash 2 days later. -
Review from Angel L.
San Diego County, CA
12/17/2011
One of the best Ethiopian restaurants in the area. Been around for over a decade at least.
Love the combo.
Try their coffee too -
Review from JP P.
San Diego, CA
5/4/2012
When you walk into this joint, there's a somewhat weird smell that I can't exactly say what it is. Went there with a group of 12 people. Most of our group ordered the vegetarian sampler, but I tried the #10 which is the beef plate. It was o.k. and could feed the whole freakin' table! Plan on sharing this bad boy! We also had the lentil sambosas which were good, and Ethiopian wine which tastes like decent wine from a box that's room temperature. The waitress took forever to get us water, the check, etc. I had to get up and ask her myself. I took a peek in the kitchen and I think this one woman was the cook AND the waitress which explains why she was taking so damn long. The location's in kind of in a shady area so don't leave valuables in your car. All in all, meh.
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Review from Steph L.
Authentic!!!!! If you're like me, and you want to feel like you are in the country of the cuisine you're eating, this place is about as good as it gets. You can definitely picture yourself in downtown Addis Ababa having lunch with the locals on a hot day. Lots of local Ethiopian San Diegans eat here, which is the true test of an authentic place.
I have been to 3 Ethiopian restaurants in San Diego, and Awash is by far my favorite. It is super casual, and it is also very reasonably priced for the amount of food you get. My favorites are: beef and lentil sambusas, little triangular pockets of fried goodness. Kategna (spicy hot injera bread, baked) and any of the entrees. I highly recommend the vegetarian combo, you get a little bit of all the greatest hits. Today we shared two entrees: the lamb stew which is made of strips of lamb with onions and spices, and the combo vegetarian which had about 5 different veggie entrees, including lentils, collard greens, potatoes, etc. Each entree is approx $7-9.
They don't use silverware in Ethiopia, so the injera bread that comes with every entree (spongy thick tortilla-ish bread used for scooping) is your eating utensil. So fun!
Awash also has 4 different Ethopian beers--$3 each. They are all high in alcohol, and tasty!!! Give them a try. If you're not a beer person, try their honey wine which is also delicious.
Service is authentic, but not the quickest. Do not come in here thinking you'll be served in 5 minutes, they are kind of slow but it's worth the wait. -
Review from Jennifer W.
San Diego, CA
Updated - 7/19/2011
We went back to Awash on July 4 since Red Sea was closing early. I have to say this might be my new favorite Ethiopian restaurant. As usual, they had great prices. The service on this particular day was very good. We ordered a salad and one vegetarian combo and the portions were huge.
What I liked was that there were many more vegetarian combo items than any other restaurant i had been to before. The dishes were not as spicy which made it a more pleasant experience. The salad alone filled us up.
Am definitely going to go back and try for a third time. If it is consistently good, then I will give it five stars.
It's a litte farther east, but may be worth it.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/16/2009
We have tried many Ethiopian places and are Red Sea fans. Recently, we tried Harar and Awash. We… Read more »
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Review from SD Review L.
San Diego, CA
2/13/2011
Tried to use a http://restaurant.com coupon with them and they said that they no longer took the coupons. Would have been nice to know that ahead of time before ordering the food.
Not the cleanest place. Service is slow at best. Don't waste your time here. I am sure there are better places to get Ethiopian food.
It was too bad I even had to give them one star! -
Review from Vivian F.
Davis, CA
10/29/2011
I had bought a http://restaurant.com certificate for this place with high hopes from reading the reviews posted here.
I showed my printed certificate right when I went in but was coldly denied.
What the eff?
The lady bluntly stated that she had repeatedly told http://restaurant.com to take her off the website because she was losing sales since 2010.
1 star for poorly handled business and poor attitude. No wonder her business isn't doing well. Btw, no one was there when I went in. That should be a good indicator of the very low demand for this restaurant. -
Review from Matt R.
5/11/2007 2 photos
I wouldn't call myself an expert, but this is my favorite of the local Ethiopian eateries. I still like Red Sea, and I even like Harar, but Awash's intimacy makes it my favorite. Honestly, sometimes I think the only people who wander in are people who get lost trying to find the Red Sea. But this place is good. If you like Ethiopian. And if you don't like Ethiopian, you should rethink the matter, since Ethiopian is hardly scary. It's not as spicy, nor is it as likely to serve brains and entrails as Mexican food. Berbere powder could make anything yummy. (Speaking of which, why don't they serve doro wat here?) Just be sure to be hungry when you come. I'm not sure I buy into the myth that injera "expands" when it hits the tummy, but it surely does fill you up.
One other thing, about service. Yes, it is slow. It's slow at all of the Ethiopian places. Just don't complain that it's bad. You're not on American Time when you step in here, you're on African Time. It goes with the food. So either get over it, or go eat someplace more First World.
***
Update: Awash has started advertising "Sunday & Monday Football Specials" featuring $2 bottled beers. A normal person might look at this ad and think they show a game. (In fact, they do have a TV in the restaurant.) But I just couldn't picture it. It's dogs sleeping with cats, worlds colliding far too violently.
So I checked it out with a group of hungry friends. Sure enough, no Monday Night Football. The TV set was dutifully tuned in to its regular Amharic programming. Fortunately, the Steelers had already pounded Baltimore into submission in the first quarter, so we could enjoy our meal appropriately shielded from American culture, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse fended off for at least one more day. -
Review from Alycia H.
San Francisco, CA
9/28/2007
I've been to Harar and Red Sea, and so far Awash is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in San Diego! Their injera is different than at Red Sea and more of what I'm used to injera tasting like-slightly sour, with a sourdough bread-like taste. Their prices are EXTREMELY reasonable, and portions are VERY filling. I highly recommend a veggie or meat combination, or both if you're sharing. The mixed veggies and yellow split peas are my favorite.
The ambiance leaves a bit to be desired, but I do find it more welcoming and clean than the other two places I mentioned. The service was also not as slow as I've experienced at other Ethiopian restaurants, and was actually very prompt the last couple times I went.Listed in: El Cajon Blvd and University…, Authentic Ethnic
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Review from David A.
6/5/2007
Decent food, but terrible service.
Ambiance is tolerable, but leaves something to be desired. I like those hole-in-the-wall places as much as anyone but lighting is a bit too dim and makes me doze off.
Menu looks good, tastes alright. Good Tej. One of the nice things is that they have many different combinations -- there's a veggie combo, of course, but instead of a meat combo, they have separate beef, chicken, and lamb combos so you can sample the different things you can do with a specific meat.
Two main issues with the menu, though. Dulet (beef liver & tripe) and Fried Fish are almost always "finished," meaning they don't have it. I have been there four times, and the first time was the only time they had liver and they had fish no times. (Yes, it was on Wednesday and Friday that I was there... which are the days fish is advertised.)
Injera is good, especially the spicy injera appetizer. Just be careful with ordering that as then you won't have any room to eat the regular injera that comes with your meal. The rest of the food, for the most part, is decent, but not outstanding.
Service is where this place really falters though. The first few times it's been on the hit-or-miss-side of average but the most recent time, which made it the last time, it was awful. We ordered Ethiopian coffee at the end, and while that was yummy, it took 45 min. We weren't sure whether or not it actually takes that long to make it, but then we asked for the bill after that and it took them another 30 min for that so I'm guessing the coffee didn't take that long. I usually don't mind it when the food takes awhile... but that was ridiculous.
If this were the only Ethiopian restaurant around, I'd probably go back, but service aside, there's still others that are on-par and better foodwise. -
Review from Jennifer B.
San Diego, CA
10/13/2011
we came here last night and was pretty impressed over all. we came in and it was decorated pretty much like every other great ethiopian place i have been to. we ordered a lentil and beef sambusa. OH MY GOODNESS. the lentil filling was spiced just right and the crust was super flaky and tasty. the red sauce they serve on your plate is hot in the way that wasabi is. you've been warned. also, if you order the veg combo plate and a beef dish make sure to let them know you want them on separate plates. everything was awesome until the very end of meal.... the girl who had been our serve was very attentive up until our dinner came. after which she kind of just seemed to have forgotten us. she came over, we were clearly done napkins on the plate. she refilled our waters and walked off..... then answered the phone, when she looked up and saw me looking at her, she walked into the back room.
we waited for another few minutes longer and walked up to the front and had to interrupt someone else to pay our bill. kind of bummed on that, but i would definitely be willing to come back and give it another try. the price is right on the nose for what you get. good portions, good price. i dont know what all this double dollar sign business is.
ditch your fork and check it out. -
Review from Zare K.
San Diego, CA
12/30/2007
We always go to Red Sea for Ethiopian food. "Let's try someplace new tonight," I said, so we looked up Awash and off we went. When we got there we realized we had been there once a few years ago, when we first moved here. "I wonder why we didn't remember?" I shrugged and opened the door.
Their posted sanitation grade is a B. Now,I'm not too finicky and generally have a "don't ask, don't tell" attitude about restaurant cleanliness. If I don't see the roaches I assume they don't exist. I saw a roach here. A small one, granted, and only one, ambling up the wall behind me. Not like there were troupes of them doing the cancan on the table or anything, but "don't ask don't tell" was gone. We pointed it out to the server, who squished it without a hint of surprise.
We ordered the lentils, mixed vegetables, and a lamb dish. The lentils were very good, with a nice rich spiciness and a little bit of heat. However, the lamb and the mixed veggies were disappointing, not very flavorful and my wife complained of sharp pieces of bone mixed in with the meat. Their portions are very generous so we both left full and with plenty of leftovers, but it was not a satisfying meal.
I guess that answers the question of why we didn't remember Awash after our original visit. Roaches aside there's nothing wrong with them, but nothing stands out as very good either. -
Review from Charlie S.
San Diego, CA
8/29/2011 1 photo
The food was delicious, but the service was a little lacking. It was my first time eating Ethiopian food, as well as my friend's, so we ordered and shared a plate with a combination of meats. It was delicious and fun to eat. We also decided to order a glass of tej to share, which was also very good. We had plenty leftovers.
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Review from Suzy S.
10/17/2010
I was really hoping this would be one of those hole-in-the-wall, frickin AWESOME secret restaurants. But no. I've had better. I have had way, WAY better. In fact, I'm pretty sure if this were my first experience with Ethiopian food, I wouldn't be inclined to try it again.
On a mission to satisfy my craving, I chose this place because I had a coupon over another place recommended by a friend. Bad decision.
The place isn't necessarily SMALL, per se, but when we walked in there was only one other couple dining. Pretty soon they left and we were the only two people in the room, since the one server was basically hiding out in the kitchen the entire time. The food was mediocre- we ordered a chicken dish that was basically 2 little pieces of tough chicken.
Prices are good, comparatively, but really not worth it for how disappointed we both were. -
Review from Steven D.
San Diego, CA
9/28/2011
What can I say? I love this place! Affordable and the food is fantastic! I have been going for three years now and I always yell out "Awash" when My wife, son and I are debating where to eat. You can always have interesting conversations with the Ethiopean cabbies that frequent the place as well. (FYI, do NOT bring up the ark of the covenant!)
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Review from Stephanie K.
San Diego, CA
After reading the current Yelp reviews, I had a pretty good idea what I was getting myself into. First, the current health rating is an A, not B (that review was from 2007, I believe). Second, go in through the door on the right. :)
My party of two were the only customers when we got there at 6:30 on a Friday night. They had a menu of about 30 dishes, the most expensive being eleven dollars. There was only 1 chicken dish, several lambs, a few fish, about 15 beef, one liver, and 5 vegetarian dishes to choose from. It was a little dark, but the only waitress turned on the lights and it was fine, the decor was simple, but whatever. I came for the food, not the be entertained by wall art.
I ordered the vegetarian combo and my friend got the fried beef something. We decided to "share" it meaning it was served on my large dish rather than individual plates. This would be my recommendation. It came with a heaping pile of Enjera (spongy bread that double as your utensils) and some really!!! spicy sauce. I, personally, am not a fan of spice so I put that to the side. Something I immediately noticed about this restaurant verses others I have been to is that the enjera taste sour, like sour dough bread. It was unexpected at first, but from what I have read, this is the was it is SUPPOSE to taste. Good to know. Very good and I took some home with me!
Here is the wonderfulness of the place: what the menu *said* my vegetarian combo would come with and what got served to me where not the same thing. OK, I could either be upset or just go with it. I went with it, and the food was AMAZINGLY delicious. The waitress didn't know what the dish I liked was called- I think it was the mashed lentils. SOO good. She said they were out of the collard green dish, so they substitute another vegetarian dish. Fine by me, I loved everything that she brought out.
My friend did not have such rave review about his beef. In all honesty, the fried beef would have been the bottom 3 dishes I would have ordered from the entire menu. I wasn't in the mood for meat, so I didn't even try the beef. He said it was not good. That the meat was not flavorful, dry, tough, and a poor cut of meat. This dish did not come with any sides other than the bread. I tried the sauteed onions that came with the beef and I thought they were good. He ended up eating most of my vegetarian combo.
They had 5 or so Ethiopian beer plus a few domestic and a small selection of wine. I love that they were only $4 each :) There were no deserts offered.
In general, I like to judge a restaurants authenticity by who eats there. Since there were several African men (Not African- American) who got food togo while we were there, that was my clue that this is where the locals go.
As far as the service. We got our food in 15 mins. I was expecting a much longer wait, but I am fine with them taking a little longer if they are making it fresh. At first the waitress was talking with her friends and was on the phone, I had to get up to ask for more water, but then as the second table sat down, she became much more attentive.
The entire bill was twenty-five including tip. I will be back when I am in the mood for lamb, the #3- stewed lamb looked amazing. and I want to see what will get served with my vegetarian combo next time ;) -
Review from Anton T.
San Diego, CA
4/14/2009 1 photo
Awash is my favorite Ethiopian/East African restaurant in San Diego. After discovering Awash almost two years ago I've eaten here numerous times (I lost count, but it's safe to say at least twenty); much more than any of the other Ethiopian restaurants in San Diego.
The food is far better, the prices are less expensive, the service is distinctly faster, and the portions are larger than Asmara or Red Sea. The atmosphere is definitely hole-in-the-wall, but it is much cozier, smaller, and more authentic than Asmara or Red Sea, yet it's not a tiny and uncomfortable shack like Harar.
I'm not sure what's up with the back room but it adds a nice touch to the establishment. There is always a group of older Ethiopian men watching Ethiopian news on the old-school large flat-screen TV. The mystique of the backroom, as well as the village-esque hut décor at the hostess table, adds to the authenticity of Awash.
Try the beef tibs (ie, stew), I think it's the #4, and the vegetable combination plate. If you're 21+, the tej (Ethiopian honey wine) is a must try.Listed in: Horn of Africa
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Review from tania j.
San Diego, CA
10/2/2009
Tried Awash for the first time on a recommendation: Absolutely delicious food, wonderful long meal with a friend, lovely service.
Promptly after I ate I got so ill I couldn't drive the friend home. That's never happened to me, though I am willing to concede that I had a cold the week before, so as a long shot, my previous illness may have been a contributing factor. All I know is that, sadly, I won't be coming back. -
Review from mason w.
San Diego, CA
6/18/2010
My brother took me to Awash. It was my first time eating Ethiopian food. I ordered a combo platter #19, and it had so much food on top of injera (spongy bread). It had 3 items, a beef dish, a chicken and egg dish and the other slips my mind.
I think you have to be open to new tastes and experiences to appreciate the food. But it's delicious. There were only a few people in the restaurant when we arrived, but as we left a party of around 15 came in and played card games and livened up the environment.
I dont speak amharic, but the servers were quite nice. They smiled and were very pleasant. I went several times after that because I love the food. Awash is a great experience and I definitely recommend it for open minded people. -
Review from Deb R.
San Diego, CA
3/31/2010
My first visit to an Ethiopian restaurant was a little lacking in fanfare.
Some friends recommended this restaurant to me, and so at my first opportunity I invited another friend who I know has an adventuresome spirit when it comes to trying new restaurants and new foods.
I had never had Ethiopian food so I had no idea what to expect.
My first impression was that the restaurant was small and dark. We arrived at about 6:30 on a Tuesday evening and there was a gentleman standing outside. He welcomed us inside to a dark restaurant...completely empty of other patrons. We had our pick of tables to sit at, and as the waiter/owner/cook(?) turned on the lights we were greeted with a sparsely decorated room.
The menu was large and diverse. Each item had a pretty good description of what the dish entailed. We ordered the bread as an appetizer to share and it was delicious! A crispy thin spongy type bread topped with a buttery/spicy spread.
For our entrees, we ordered a chicken dish and a beef dish (Gored Gored). The meal came out quickly and was served on a large flat round metal platter, with a thin layer of the same bread that was served earlier, however in this case it was not crispy...just spongy. The meal was also served with a side of that same spongy bread. It was that bread that was torn into bite sized pieces and then used to pick up pieces of the meat dish to be eaten. Utensils not allowed. (ok, I dont know if they really weren't allowed, but they definitely weren't offered!)
Everything had really good flavor, unfortunately the description for the Gored Gored failed to mention that it was basically raw beef covered in sauce. Now, don't get me wrong...I LOVE my beef served extremely rare and if this was more thinly sliced I think I would have really enjoyed it. It was not, however...instead it was cubes, or chucks of raw meat and I would probably not order it again.
My friend ordered the 1st item on the menu...a chicken dish whose name slips my mind. His meal was DELICIOUS! Luckily, the serving sizes were very generous, allowing me to sneak bites here and there in order to fill my belly.
Along with the meat dishes, a small salad (?) was served on the tray with a gravy boat filled with some sort of sauce. DANG! That sauce was spicy! If you have sinus issues, one spoonful of that will clear them up instantly. We weren't exactly sure what the sauce was suppose to be used for, since both of the meat dishes had plenty of their own sauces on them. I wasn't crazy about it, there seemed to be a heavy dose of horseradish or some related spice that isn't really to my liking.
Overall, it was a good experience. Despite the fact that we were the only people in the restaurant the entire time, service was a bit lacking.
I would definitely go back to try another meal though. The food portions were generous and tasty and overall it was a good experience. -
Review from Sean B.
11/11/2007
Went there tonight with 11 other people. We all had drinks, 10 dishes in total, plus sambosas. Cost? 10 bucks each. Pretty damn awesome.
Highlights:
-after having one and trying a couple others, I have come to the conclusion that Ethiopians know how to make beer.
-The Sambosas were great. Very tasty and a bargain at a dollar each.
-The yellow split pea dish was excellent.
-Dug both beef dishes we ate
-The salad in the middle was a nice counter to the rest of the food
Reason I'm giving it four stars is the flavors of the dishes were fairly similar. Not a huge amount of variety.
And perhaps we got there at the right time, but we had no problems whatsoever with the service. Prompt and very polite. -
Review from danny d.
San Diego, CA
7/9/2011 1 photo
i must admit: the main reason i love this restaurant above the other ethiopian eateries in the san diego area is because they always serve the dishes with a side of awaze, the wonderfully spicy sauce that brings even more happiness to each bite of already felicitous food. i've eaten at ethiopian restaurants in six cities across the US, and nearly all the ones here in san diego, and awash is the only one with the automatic awaze. the food is pretty darn good, too. wonderful.
don't be in a rush if you come to awash; be prepared to wait. if anything, view the down time as part of the dining experience. talk with your buddies, sip on your glass or three of honey wine, and enjoy the smells of berbere, fitfit and the slightly sour injera cooking in the kitchen. enjoy and repeat a month later. -
Review from Cesar A.
San Diego, CA
6/11/2010
I love Awash!
I love the fact that I can get incredibly full for $10, and still have leftovers.
However, I do agree that the girl that serves there isn't the greatest. It takes about 15-20 minutes to get a refill on water, so if you're gonna come, don't come thirsty. -
Review from Charda F.
1/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
While out and about with my little fam I was having a craving for some sambusa's so I looked on yelp to find where I could get them since my usual place to get these is no longer around. This place came up and we drove on over, we arrived and parked right in the front (locked my doors, yes it did look a little umm err...shall I say 'hood' over there plus I think I saw a few hookers standing around, yes hookers can be dangerous too). Ordered them to go for a quick little snack, took about 5 -10 mins to make our order, not bad. Despite the outside of the place, the inside was pretty chill, we liked the music playing as did my dancing 2 year old and the low lighting made this place feel relaxed (I like low lights, if you don't bring a flashlight haha), it's a hole in the wall type of place it's true, there is literally a hole in the wall behind the door (yes, i'm observant and nosey). The lady that took our order was super duper friendly, loved her! One star alone for having Ellen on the TV while we waited. Everyone that was in there eating looked happy and full, I will be going back to eat in one of these days because the food on people's plates looked and smelled delish! The sambusa's were flavorful and big, I wish they would have had more veggies in them the beef only had onion and the lentil had potatoes I think, but overall good. I can't wait to try more from here, check it out if you are in the mood for something really different from your usual burger and fries spot =)
PS - This place was a little hard to find even though it's right on the street, it's bright blue so you can't miss it if you look for the building color but it's sign is slightly blocked or at an angle. So, just look for a blue building/wall. -
Review from Albie F.
3/9/2008
My first Ethiopian experience in San Diego and quite a good one. They would have had five stars without one minor mishap. The interior is less than desirable but I don't expect many places on El Cajon Blvd. to wow me with their decor. We got the beef and lamb combos with a little bit of tomato veggie salad and injera bread and it was just right for two hungry guys.
What bumped them down one star was that we found a half an inch piece of something (like a plastic or something) in the injera bread. Luckily my companion found it before eating it so we just set it on the table. Otherwise, the food was great and I will definitely come back and try their veggie combo sometime. Very polite waitress and pretty much everything I expected minus the injera bread incident. -
Review from Tammy L.
San Diego, CA
4/8/2011
I've been to Awash twice now, the first time with a http://Restaurant.com coupon, which they only kind of honored: They gave a $10 credit instead of $25, but they lifted the $35 requirement, so we came out about the same and didn't have to order extra stuff we didn't want.
We ate in the restaurant, and the service was SLOW. There were only other two other occupied tables, and it still took a half hour to get our food.
Now you know bad parts, let me tell you about their strengths: the food. Yummy! It is spicier than Harar's, but less so than Red Sea (too hot for me, even on their mild dishes!).
Last night a group of us wanted take out, and since we were right around the corner, I suggested Awash. We called it in, and 15 minutes later it was ready. The food tasted fresh and was as wonderful as I had remembered. -
Review from Jeff G.
San Diego, CA
5/21/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I was very skeptical when I first heard about this place from my gf, especially since I've never had Ethiopian food, but I was open to trying new things. When we walked in, I almost thought we were walking into someone's living room because it has that feel about it. The waiter sat us and took our order. Someone had ordered a sizzling plate and it smelled fricken delicious. I had to know what it was, and the waiter told me it was the Zelzel tibs so I got them. The gf got the lamb stew (#6 I think). Out came the food, with some Ethiopian flatbread (I forget what it's called) and we had ourselves a feast. Be careful though, the flatbread is like a sponge and will expand and become a mattress in your stomach if you're not careful. The price was very decent for a poor graduate student like me (under $9 per person to stuff your belly and have leftovers!) Overall...I love their food, but I need to try more stuff.
Another time I came here, my grad school cohort and I were having an end of year meal together. There were 11 of us, and we originally called to let them know we were going to be there around 7pm. We got there at 5pm, since we finished early, and they were able to accommodate us with no problem. The food was good, and everybody left happy and satisfied.
Side note: If you're hungry, don't get the chicken. My friend ordered it, and while it was pretty tasty, it wasn't a whole lot of food, and he was left "borrowing" some of my food when I wasn't looking. -
Review from Anna C.
San Diego, CA
7/30/2010
Great Food!! Great Experience!!!
Highly Recommend to try Ethiopian food!!! -
Review from Andrei I.
San Diego, CA
10/3/2010
This place is one of the dirtiest restaurants I've been to. The staff don't speak English. The area is really sketchy. The food is mediocre. There are flies everywhere. Stay away!
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Review from Antonio G.
Staten Island, NY
9/16/2008
This is such a great little place to eat. I love the ambiance here. It feels like I'm sitting in someone's living room. I've been here a couple of times, and each time is better than the last.
The food here is delicious. We had the pleasure of being served by the owner on both occasions. She was a very gracious host. She made us feel like family that she hadn't seen in years. The food does take a while to come out, that's because they don't start making it until you order it. They don't really have a staff here, it's family owned, and everyone does whatever's needed at the time. If you're in a rush, don't come here. The owner acted as our hostess, server and chef. We sat for over two hours on our last visit, just sitting and chatting and trying all these different courses. At the end, we decided to order the coffee. They don't even roast the beans until you ask for it! It takes about ten minutes for them to roast, and then they grind and brew, so it takes a while. She brought out the beans while she was roasting them to show us. It just fills the whole place with this beautiful aroma. Really adds to the whole living room feel. The coffee was rich and earthy. We were served popcorn with our coffee, in the traditional fashion. This was a great experience. Definitely come on a night when you've got time to chill, and prepare for a laid back meal. Such a good place to unwind.
Unfortunatley, the other reviews are right about the cleanliness. Minus one star for that. -
Review from Mari C.
San Diego, CA
7/2/2007
there's not much to say about it that i haven't said about the other ethiopian restaurants in san diego. the food's good, the portions are huge and the prices are cheap.
i think i like their lentils best though. they're spicier. -
Review from Pj B.
9/24/2010
Hmm i kinda wonder about these previous reviews. They all hold this place with such high regards.
I was taken there for dinner last night, thanks to the gf & her coupon. The place it's self looks like a hole in the wall, We walked in and only two other people where sitting there eating food. The place was dark and the lights were turned on only after we picked a spot to sit.
I have had Ethiopian food once before and rather enjoyed it so i was looking forward to this spot, I would have been impressed if the hole in the wall help up to the rating it gets on yelp. Sorry to say for those who rated it better you should try different spots. Maybe just maybe it was what we ordered, Tender Chicken, NOT so much tender and still on the bone with no fork to get at the meat, Not to mention only two pieces, OK fair enough only two of us, and some vegetable mix, which sorry to say was not so mixed, a couple of carrots and a whole pile of cabbage/lettuce. I wish i could do better than two stars but i can not. -
Review from Crista Y.
New York, NY
3/26/2010
it was my first time trying Ethiopian in this place, and for some reason the only so far.....i guess that's partly because the Ethiopian cuisine in New York sucks or I just haven't found a place I liked as much as this one.
I had the beef dish......whatever it was it was great. So was their coffee and that holey flat bread that resembles the taste of my long time love sourdough bread. The sauces were also great. Some were chunky others smooth but I left that meal feeling so full and great. -
Review from Lydia W.
San Diego, CA
8/31/2010
I ordered a fabulous vegetarian dish for under $10.00 that was truly delectable. This was my first time eating Ethiopian Food and I most certainly know that I will be having it again. The flavors are complex, rich and very satisfying. I would highly recommend it!
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Review from Uncle B.
San Diego, CA
1/28/2009
Rock n' roll Awash...It's a good place to listen to the music--in Amharic. Your author and humble narrator had his very first Ethiopian dining experience here, and what an experience it was. I was taken right away, by the quaint, African decor, and yummy smells. This is a great place for vegans/vegetarians to get a lot of great, aromatic, spicy, flavorful food that reminds you that you're alive. I get takeout from Awash all the freakin' time, and I usually manage to get two meals out of one entree (average price is about $6.50). This place is family owned, and they'll treat you very nicely, even if you look a little peculiar. Lemme tell you about some of my own personal recommendations. First of all there's the vegetable alicha, which is a yummy blend of well-seasoned potatoes, carrots, and cabbage, and although I'd say the potatoes are a little too sparse, it's quite delicious that notwithstanding. Shiro is a very hearty, viscous stew made out of powdered garbanzo beans (tell them to make it without meat--they'll accommodate you) and it's fucking incredible. I could easily eat shiro every day--it's pretty much that good. I think they flavor it with onions and ginger, but whatever they put in there it rocks my world. Then there's denich wat, which consists of potatoes in an appetizing spicy red sauce, which will blow your socks off.
Bottom line: get your ass over there. -
Review from Anthony B.
San Diego, CA
3/10/2010
Food was very good. Very pleased with the food. I am guessing "authentic". Friendly server with a warm smile but not a real concept of service. Hardly any service at all really. So.... Go for the food but don't have expectations on the service side and you'll be ok.
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Review from Leslie B.
4/16/2008
This was my first time for Etheopian food and I base my review on experience and comfort rather than simply good food. Well, I am no expert, but I do believe that this place is authentic. The atmosphere is clean and cozy and there is a private party room in back. The party room was filled, so I imagine that this is a popular place for the Etheopian community. They have small candles on each table and brightly colored decor. The waitress did not speak English well, but when we asked if she could light the candle, she smiled and dimmed the lights for us. When we thought about ordering the Etheopian wine, she brought us a sample of each one so we could do a tasting first. She did her best to help us select menu items we would enjoy. The booths were comfortable and provided a good atmosphere for intimate conversation. When the food came, it was a variety of meat and vegetable combinations served with bread that is meant to eat it with, using the bread as a utensil. The waitress brought an example of food and bread showing us how we were meant to eat it. The food was nothing great....in my humble opinion, but not bad. My friend commented on how the bread resembled wet dish towels....I don't really agree, but don't really disagree, however it would have helped had it been warmed. So, all in all, it was a great experience, food was ok but I really know nothing about Etheopian food. Would I go back? If I wanted to take someone somewhere not fancy, but interesting...definitely, but probably not too frequently. I must also mention that two entrees, two appetizers, and two glasses of wine only ran about $27.
Listed in: Delectable...and keep your…
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Review from Sara R.
San Diego, CA
12/6/2010
This place is a hole-in-the- wall, believe me!!! Dirty place but I decided to stay and eat, I wanted to get up and leave, I asked my bf if he wanted to leave, he said, let's try. The food is really good. I used my $25 Gift Certificate and the waitress said they are not taking the $25 and it was a mistake, then they said they will give us a discount of $10. Better than nothing!!!
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Review from sera a.
San Diego, CA
11/19/2010
i've eaten here a lot... a whole lot, it's the best food in my tummy and always makes me full and happy. i've had my 'bad' times there, gotten sub par food occasionally, but over all the greatness of this place makes me sing. i've only tasted like five dishes but i've gotten them like 100 times.. best vegan food in walking distance from where i spend most of my time. they always seem very willing to accommodate us even making meat free shiro x3 my usual favorite are the lentils, and split pea... and dench wot... hm it's all usually excellent except when it's not. lol. i still x3 this place the best i've only had a few bad meals in the past 5 years or how ever long i've been going there, and any place i've been a regular has done me dirty more than this place. a bad Ethiopian meal is still better than most of the crap that gets served up as food!
