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I freakin' love this bar. I loved it from the moment I set foot in it. Its like when you meet someone for the first time and have an instant rapport.
huge U shaped bar. Un-fancy yet homey dive decor. Nice smells from the authentic Ethiopian kitchen. Basic tap, chalkboard of dirt cheap daily specials. Jukebox, pooltable (albeit its a tight squeeze from most angles) but all this adds character to the place. I swear I'd recognize the owner's face anywhere, its all very surreal and indie movie-esque. In the summer they let us sit out back, there's a small walkway with a few chairs. If you're looking for a more upbeat sociable vibe you'd probably be better off down the street at North Star or any of the other Fairmount bars.
This place has great authentic Ethiopian food, and probably the cheapest drink specials in the area. The bartender is extremely warm and kind.
The injera (flat bread with a very carpet padding-esque texture) is really interesting - the food is really delicious and can be extremely spicy.
The woman who works in the kitchen and took our order did not speak a single word of English, which was fine because we could simply point to the menu - but when I asked if she thought I had ordered enough food for everyone at the table, she kind of just awkwardly smiled and backed out of the room slowly. Charming, but if you've got any kind of dietary restrictions they might not know to honor them, FYI.
This is an ok place for a little group get together where you would prefer to hear each other talk. Nothing loud about it. Drink specials for the serious or broke drinker won't disappoint. One was (wish I could remember which one) a beer and a shot of bourbon for 3 bucks. Therefore, a ten spot will have you well on your way. :)
The food is the real kicker. Authentic Ethiopian dishes cooked by Ethiopians. Spicy and flavorful.
The place was a bit in need of some cool air but I give extra props for having a pool table with kind bumpers.
For the feeling of the night that I had enjoyed I'd rate a 4 star, but overall for Era, I really have to settle in at three.
Loses a star for time it takes to get food. They don't have a very good system and it crumbles under the pressure of large volume. To that I say thank you Rachel for looking for our order and the "knuckle sandwich" you whipped up for the kitchen!
Beyond that, this is my kind of place. Authentic dive, cheap cheap cheap ass drink specials, and spicy food individually prepared with obvious love. It was a perfect environment for Aaron and Lori's announcement! Congrat's!
I walked in on 7/15/09 a "40-year-old Ethiopian food virgin" -- and walked out a new man.
ERA is definitely a place with character. It has a nice huge bar and is stocked well. Some good drink specials last night (my head is still spinning from the bourbon)
So I leaned on others to help me decide which items were good.
The entrees come with 2 -sides and a bread that is unique. There are no utensils. You use this bread that is spongy (with no real flavor other that a little bit of a sour taste) to pick up the food. The food itself lays on a piece of this same bread.
I had (forgive me for not remembering the Ethiopian names) the #6 -which is a lamb dish. It is spiced really great and it is almost like a stew. Along with this I had the mixed greens and mixed vegetables sides (#1 an #4). The food was very flavorful.
From what I was told by others who had Ethiopian food - this was authentic as it gets - although I have been told of a dish that this place no longer makes called "Kitfo" - that I will still have to try.
So the big question - Am I a big fan of Ethiopian food... I think the verdict is still out there... I want to see if I could try some other places but I definitely would eat it again and there are more items to try. What I can say is I have tackled another culinary adventure.
Kudos for Aaron O. for finding this unique treasure and an awesome job in preparing this amazing event.
I'm really glad to be able to write this review, since I was worried, just as Aaron was, that 30 people at a UYE might be too much for the good people at Era to handle smoothly. Thankfully, all worries were unfounded as the bartender, Rachel, was more than capable. The food was a little slow but that's to be expected anytime such a large group orders all at once.
I really liked the set-up of the bar. It was perfect for a group such as ours, with people able to move around the room easily and freely. I didn't get to check out the dining room in the back, but there was no need. I think I'd always be happy to eat at the bar here.
The first thing I noticed when I walked in, other than the back of a shiny bald head, was the good food aroma. This promised much. A great selection of happy hour drafts was available at amazing prices. I particularly enjoyed the Sly Fox, which was a steal at $3. The Lionshead bottle with a shot of Heaven Hill bourbon was also very popular, and although neither were any good by themselves, that's like saying "I found nothing classy at the dollar store". It is what it is, and it's a lot easier to drink nasty shots when you can wash them down with a Sly Fox and good conversation.
When my food did arrive, everything was delicious. Having got over my initial disappointment when Rachel told me they no longer serve kitfo (it's still on the menu, so obviously that needs to be fixed), I ordered the Yebeg Wot. I requested it spicy and it was. I was a little surprised that the lamb was of a ground consistency, when I am used to larger chunks, but it was really tasty nonetheless. My sides of lentils and collard greens were perfectly prepared too, so with what seemed to be very fresh injera, I dug in and enjoyed.
I think on reflection I slightly prefer the food at Abyssinia, but here the food is still excellent and the overall ambiance is fantastic, so I'm certainly going to return often. Era would definitely get five stars from me if they were able to provide me with some good kitfo though, since that's what I usually judge a place on.
We all sat , in the stuffy Music room. Awkward freshmen, yawning in the early morning class. A single boombox, stood on a stool. The music teacher walked up and pushed play.
What followed was a veritable all star team, of 80s music titans, singing "We Are The World". Its almost sad that it took Huey Lewis and Kenny Loggins to inform us sheltered kids, that people were starving in the world, but it was effective. The song was a smash, and raised tons of money for the organization USA for Africa. Win-win. The only down side is that between We Are The World and then Live Aid, I would forever associate Africa (and more specifically, Ethiopia) with starvation.
This stereotype, this ignorance, has stuck with me into adulthood, to the point where when I heard about an Ethiopian restraunt, I was indignant. "They have a cuisine?!" " And its really good?!" Apparently so, but I had a hard time imagining it. Even after hearing kudos from people , whose opinion I respected, I was skeptical.
This brings me to Era. Era is located in an area of Philly, which I am beginning to love. It lies on the outskirts of the Fairmount/Art Museum area, and is about as unassuming as a place can get. I went with some seasoned professionals (I wont stoop so low as to call them "foodies") who knew their stuff, both about food and the city in general.
We were immediately greeted by Leon, who was managing. He was welcoming and personable. Era had been described to me as a dive bar. Id have to disagree somewhat. While it was definitely no-frills, there was too much warmth, more like a neighbors basement bar. Drink prices are outrageously low. A $6 car bomb is enough to knock me out of my suburban routine. The barkeep was also friendly and adorable, 2 other adjectives that have no business describing a dive.
The food. This is what I was afraid of. Forget about my ignorance with Ethiopia, im just not an adventurous eater. Now mix back in my cluelessness about the regional cuisine and I was anxious. Thankfully, the menu was simple and clear. You picked a dish from about 12 choices and 2 sides from 5 total options. Nothing crazy like lion or zebra, just beef, chicken, lamb or lentil. It eased my mind.
I chose the beef with peppers and onions (there was the ethiopian name for it which I sadly forget). Im told the wait can be long, as they often make things to order, from scratch. Our wait wasnt too bad, especially since the bar was a fun place and the company was good.
The food was delivered by the chef, a stunning ethiopian woman, who made it as if she were cooking for her family back home. It was served on a large plate and there was a crepe-like bread , which covered the plate, 3 heaps of food ( 1 meat 2 sides) separated in the middle and another crepe rolled up on the side. No utensils are necessary, you use the bread tom eat everything. So very cool, my utensil hating son would feel right at home.
The food was amazing. The crepe had no distinct flavor, which let the flavors of the food reign. My sides were a lentil/onion dish and a house salad with delicious homemade dressing. The beef with peppers and onions were perfectly prepared and devilishly spiced. I was feeling that burn , in the best way possible. I called them , Ethiopian Fajitas, but ive never had mexican food so spicy, yet not obnoxiously hot.
Lately I havent been able to finish my meals at restraunts. Maybe its old age, but I dont bring places to their knees like I used to. I hope my inability to finish, didnt convey that I didnt like it. If anything , I was being greedy, and wanting to prolong the meal by saving it for another day. I am truly looking forward to lunch tomorrow, and maybe even introducing my kids to some cuisine other than chicken nuggets.
Thank You! To my dining companions, both the ones I came with and those I met there. Thank You ! To Era for a wonderful meal as well as putting a new stereotype about Ethiopia in my head. One of friendly people and amazing food. Im sure food this good could get an all star group of musicians to bust out another We Are the World.
Though I must admit that I've had better Ethiopian food in Philly, Era is still a pretty cool place. I liked that the entrees came out individually (one main dish with two sides comes out to approx. $10 yesssss) but wished they had more vegetarian options. I ordered the cabbage and potatoes which were accompanied by the greens and green beans. The food was not bad, though it seemed to be missing a certain savory flavor that I've had at other spots. Overall, the atmosphere is very relaxed and chill thanks to the friendly bartender and cheap drinks.
If I lived in the area, I would definitely be hitting this place up on a regular basis. Decent food, cheap drinks, and friendly folk? Of course!
I first went into Era for the Arts Crawl or whatever it is they call it up there where all the hipsters, yuppies, and Afrocentric types get together and look at pretty pictures in Fairmount.
It's definitely an interesting space. A real down home kind of place in the middle of a neighborhood that is quickly becoming too self important. They've got cheap drinks and the food is very tasty.
I must preface this review by admitting that by the time I got my food, I was already two sheets to the wind (which turned into three sheets... or maybe five... by the time we left), which worked to Era's advantage in that I didn't mind too much that the food took nearly an eternity to come out. I was busying myself with their not very extensive, but very reasonably priced, drink menu.
I'm getting ahead of myself. I strolled over to Era with Hunter, Aaron O., and McThrill after an enthralling meeting of the amazing record-and-beer club. Since I'd been drinking beer nearly all afternoon, I was clearly not in any state to cook (or clean up after cooking); and, since Aaron had been talking about Era for a while, I thought it would be a good time to give it a go. It's pretty much a dive with above-par food, so I didn't have any qualms about entering in my somewhat inebriated condition.
It's kind of in a crappy section of town, at 28th and Girard, but I didn't feel at any time that my safety was at risk. Of course, I had the fog of a buzz shrouding me, and three brawny, fearless, man-o-steel men to protect me (hold your laughter--Bill's new spiky haircut could definitely have done some damage if provoked, and Aaron would have put up a good fight to prevent theft of his fancy new Oakleys).
We entered the bar just around dinner time, and were greeted by a friendly, unassuming, middle-aged bartender. There was one other group in the bar, so it was pretty quiet. I liked the layout of the bar... it's like a giant rectangle that fills the entire room, with a hollow middle for (obviously) the bartender and the booze. The bartender gave us menus and took our drink orders, remembering to bring each of us a water as we had requested. I ordered a Sly Fox Route 113 IPA, which was only $4 for the pint. Now, here is the part that left me in disbelief: You can't even get a pint of the 113 AT THE SLY FOX BREWERY for $4. They're $4.50 there. The fact that Era even offered this beer was impressive, since I've seen the Phoenix Pale, the Slacker Bock, and the Pikeland Pilsener on tap all over the city, but not once have I seen the 113. Awesome.
After my IPA, I decided to take the plunge and order their $3 special: a shot of Heaven Hill (take the first two letters and the last two letters and you have what it should be called) whiskey and a bottle of Lionshead. My buzz kept me occupied for the first thirty-five minutes of waiting time, but then I started getting a bit restless, so I drank water. After about another fifteeen minutes, our food finally arrived. Thankfully, it looked and smelled delicious. If we had waited a few minutes longer, my stomach may have begun to eat itself.
I ordered the Yedoro Alicha, which (according to their Menu Pages menu, since I couldn't remember for my life what was on my plate) delicate chicken simmered with onions and mild spices. It came out simply presented on a very large plate and contained a chicken leg, a spongy pancake-like thingy, and two sides of vegetables (don't ask me what they were... I think one contained beans?). The chicken was perfectly cooked and spiced, although there could have been a bit more chicken and a bit less fluff. The sides, from what I remember, were delicious, and I really enjoyed wrapping everything up in the pancake (the pancake was definitely conducive to my drunken state). The whole plate was about $9. Very reasonable.
After we finished our meals, I really wanted to do a car bomb, because I've never done one before (you can pull your jaw up now), and they were only $6. I convinced Aaron to do one with me, even though he didn't really want to, and he beat me by about five full seconds. I have to work on my car bomb-chugging skills, for sure.
Even though I'm moving to South Philly on Sunday and Era will no longer be in my neighborhood, I will definitely be back to re-experience (or, perhaps, experience sentiently for the first time) the parts that I was too drunk to remember.
Meredith already beat me to the summation of my Era update since I'm a bona fide slacker sometimes. But I figured that I'd put it up anyway since Era's worth it. And if anything it reminds Aaron that he still needs to report back on the likelihood of doing a UYE here.
After another successful record club I was feeling the itch to get back to West Philth, but since Aaron's constant praise had it etched into the back of my skull by then, it took little convincing to get me to head down to Era for some Ethiopian goodness. In my last reviewed I praised it for being an unassuming neighborhood bar that doubled over as an Ethiopian food hunt. But I didn't have the chance to try the food and fully engage in the camaraderie. But once I did with the wonderful group of people that I was with it didn't disappoint.
Since Meredith already put the exclamation point on the fact that the Sly Fox on tap was cheaper than what it went for at the brewery, you know that the great dive spirit was very strong with in it. But it also had cheaper drafts, and hooked up a shot of hell whiskey and a bottle of Lionshead for $3, making theirs the best City Wide Special variation ever! I wish the main bartenders name didn't escape me now (I'm going with Leon) because he was very engaging and hilarious to talk too.
Since Aaron already covered the long wait for food, and Meredith vividly explained how her stomach nearly ate itself, I'll only add in that if it took any longer I would surely taken a chomp out of the bar with epic fervor. But at least it had a touch of home cooking when it arrived and was mighty tasty. I had stewed lamb that was mixed in with peppers and onions. And for sides (you get 2 of them added on with your entree!) I went with cabbage and lentils.
So yeah, I'm not really contributing anything new to the table. But at least I'm vouching for the good of Era. and maybe it will lead to finding out about another epic event. So score!
every time I walked by this spot on the way to the Grassy Knoll I had assumed it to be a hole in the… Read more »
Ive had two different and enjoyable experiences at Era. My first trip was a quiet dinner in the back dinning room with close friends. The second trip was a more drunkin event; at the bar, with Yelpers whom I had never met. i had a blast both times, its actually pretty hard not to. The food is as good as any Ethiopian restaurant i have ever been. i have had the beef, lamb, beef tibs. all spicy but not overwhelming, and very savory. The lentils side is actually the best i have ever had, and the cabbage and potatoes are mild enough to mellow out the sting from the spicy meat.
The beer is super cheap and they have a few good ones, so you can get all banged up and still have cash in your pockets. I took full advantage on my second trip. since the beer is cheap and your eating spongy bread, you might as well have a couple more pints and take a cab home.
But the truly 5 star part of Era is the service. The bartender Rachel is fantastic. She is sweet, engaging and efficient, she handled a big crowd with ease. She made me feel right at home when I arrived and the bar was empty.
the gentleman who served us my first trip was also super nice and added to the experience, because he didn't make my friends who were new to the cuisine, feel intimidated.
thanks to Aaron for cluing me in on this place, I feel lucky to have gone and enjoyed before the masses figure it out and there is a line at the door.
Maybe the only place in the city that my beau and I can get a whole delicious meal and drinks for $25! Seriously! The beer is decent, the food is good, and the prices are out of this world.
We opted to eat at the bar, and at 7:00 on a Saturday evening, it was real quiet. There is also a little dining room in the back if the bar gets too rowdy.
A lot of people here call it a hole in the wall, but I beg to differ. It isn't swanky or anything, but it is a great place to grab a cheap delicious meal and have a couple drinks. The Ethiopian food was a spicy treat.
This review is based on the Ethiopian food only and not the alcohol. A friend and I decided to go to Era, which is somewhat close to the museum district where he lives. Well, it was definitely closer than the West Philly establishments anyways. We walked into the "restaurant" and it was definitely a bar in a rectangular shape that takes up the entire room. We asked if there were additional tables (there was only one tiny, pathetic table for 2 near the door), and were pointed to a room in the rear. One has to walk through a hallway/additional room that looked into the kitchen. A lot of hot air was coming from the kitchen, too bad this was already a very hot day. I took a look into the kitchen, because of course it is a good idea to scope out where one's food is coming from. There was one lady standing there, and it looked very old and cramped. However, it wasn't visibly dirty in the dim lighting.
The back room was cozy with only about 6 tables in it. Although, all Ethiopian restaurants are really pretty cozy "hole in the walls." There was a back door that opened into an alley. There were paintings on the wall for sale by an artist that wasn't of an Ethiopian flavor. However, the tablecloths were of an Ethiopian design and looked pretty new. They are almost identical to the ones at Abyssinia. We received water fairly quickly, but ordering and getting our food took a bit of time. Typical Ethiopian timing despite for the fact that we were the only people in the restaurant. Overall, there were really only about 2 more people in the bar area. A man, who I assumed to be the owner sat at the corner of the bar when we came in and was still there when we left.
I ordered my usual yebeg (lamb) tibs, which came with 2 sides. I chose the salad and the potato/carrot/cabbage dishes. My friend chose the yebeg wot dish with the collard greens and the potato/carrot/cabbage dish. There were only 4 choices, and the last was a lentil dish that neither of us chose. My food was somewhat spicy, but not really spicy. My lamb was good, but not extraordinary as was my friend's. His yebeg wot was much spicier than my lamb. The salad was nothing to write home about, and there did not seem to be much, if at all, a dressing on it. The potato/carrot/cabbage combo was good, but the potato and carrot chunks were too big, and so not as flavorful as one would have hoped for. However, all the ingredients seemed to be very fresh, which is a good thing.
The injera was mediocre. It wasn't as thick as some of the other places, and definitely not as sour. It was adequate and not bad, but definitely not the best injera I have had. The portions were on the small side but the price was on the low side as well, although well within the range of typical Ethiopian places.
The food was adequate, service typical, portions and prices comparable and no other customers came into the restaurant part of the establishment the entire time we were there. The overall experience was very uneventful, except for one small occurrence. At one point a marmalade cat walked into the hallway outside the kitchen and started to approach us before being shooed into a room with a closed door by our cook. Made me wonder if they have mouse problems? Conclusion is that this is a good place to scratch your Ethiopian itch, if you can't get into West Philly, but there are definitely better tasting Ethiopian elsewhere.
Why is no one in this bar on a Friday? The food remains great. We had dozens of $3 lions head bottle + bourbon shot specials. We played pool. We put good tunes on the jukebox and danced. The bartender Amanda remains great. And we had the bar TO OURSELVES. Which was pretty cool. But someone should discover this great bar other than us. C'mon!
Gonna have to go ahead and give this one 5 stars. Nice open bar room with down to earth patrons.… Read more »
I come here at least once a week for the tasty Ethiopian food and a few local brews (Sly Fox being my ale of choice here). Im vegetarian and ERA offers three tasty veg entrees (served with two sides and injera bread) for $8.75 each. Always fresh and tasty and the price can not be beat. They have a dining room in the back (which is suitable for families with children), or you can dine right at the bar. The bar atmosphere is low-key and friendly with a nice mix of locals. Check this place out!
This place looks like a dank hole from the outside and it's not much better on the inside. There is grime and years of general filth and the decor is sparse but includes the token image of King Hallie Salassi on the wall. I took my girlfriend here on a weekday evening and we were the only ones present. She was a bit "tentative" to say the least, but we stuck it out. From our vantage point the kitchen area seemed to be little more than a guy in a rusted folding chair and possibly a sink. The draft beer tasted a bit skunky, as if the taps needed a good cleaning, so I was forced to go with bottled beer. While this overall description may seem objectionable, it tends to be the standard setup for Ethiopian restaurants in Philadelphia.
When all was said and done the food tasted great and was priced to move. The beer selection was adequate (bottled mind you) and cheap and the servicepersons were all friendly. I give four stars based largely on my love of Ethiopian food and the fact that this place stands out amongst other restaurants in the area. It could use a good scrub down, but so long as you don't mind a bit of "character" when you dine you'll be fine. Also, a quick review of their health inspection records reveales no violations, which is more than can be said for most restaurants in the area.
it's a good place for audible convos with friends, but it's not good for anyone who is starving. there were only 2 other tables and we waited over an hour for our dinner. my friends' dishes were good, but my dish was too spicy to discern whichever type of veggie or meat that i was eating. and then at some point, a stray cat ran into the restaurant and hid under my chair. that was my cue to leave.
Yes it is a hole in the wall but you can get 6 drinks for less $20 that not happy hour specials. The beer list is decent and they serve Ethopian food and also there are other selection on the menu. You cannot go wrong with such affordable prices for drinks.
I have gone here a couple of times since my BF took me here about two months ago. It is an interesting spot - the restaurant and bar actually operate independently under the same roof. You can get the food at the bar but there is a dining room in the back if you would like to sit at a table. The food can take some time to arrive and there aren't any appetizers or bar snacks. Probably good to let the kitchen know in advance if you are coming with a sizable group so that they have enough food prepped. The drinks are way inexpensive and they have good beer on draught - including Guiness. Everything is CASH ONLY and there is NO ATM on site. The food dishes are quite good and a bargain with nothing over $10. The portions are not large but they are filling. Ethiopian food is traditionally served with a moist flatbread similar to a pancake or crepe that you tear and use to grab the food which is well seasoned but not too spicy. Definitely a fun and tasty experience.
I like ERA. It's casual, cheap (a few drafts for $2, and a special of a shot of Heaven Hill and a Lion's Head bottle for $3), and comfy. There's a dude who DJs reggae and ethiopian jazz (which I'm a sucker for) on the weekends (and, as he sees fit, any other night). I haven't tried the food yet, but it looks reasonable.
If North Star (just a block away) is busy, go to ERA and relax. Check out the art on the walls, sit at the rectangular bar (seating on all sides, with bartenders in the middle), and enjoy some good music.
WOW. This place is perfect. The bar is comfortable and friendly, drinks are inexpensive, and the Ethiopian cuisine is excellent. If you just want to eat, there is a restaurant portion connected to the back so you won't have to listen to the music and noise in the front. It's a hole in the wall for sure, but the waitress was friendly and the atmosphere was right. I've been here on my own, with my girlfriend, and with a few buddies. It's always a good time.
And its right across the street from my house :-)
I've been living in the Brewerytown area for 5 years, and there aren't many places to go to. I could pay $10 to get into the north star and then buy $5 yuenglings and pretend i'm in old city (remember when you only payed if you were seeing the band?) Could go down to fairmount and hit that strip of bars, however, the ERA is my new favorite place. To begin with, I love Ethiopean food, so to not have to truck over to west philly is great. It does take a bit for the food to come out, but guess what, they have a great bar too! $3 for a lions head and bourbon, or you can get a flying fish draft for the same price. their happy hour is even better, with $2 drafts of good beers. I will say that I went in their one night at 5pm, started calling friends and the next thing i know their are 15 of us and it's 1:30am. it was a lot of fun with an interesting jukebox and a pool table. I hesitate to tell people about it because i'd like to keep it how it is.
I went to this bar for a birthday celebration for a person I hardly knew. It was an interesting experience, it's literally a hole in the wall that's attached to an Ethiopian restaurant owned by the same people. They have a great electronic jukebox, the crowd is mixed, and the bartenders are on top of things. Needless to say, the birthday girl got wrecked!
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