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Meskel Ethiopian Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Ethiopian Ethiopian [Edit]
2605 E Cherry StSeattle, WA 98122
Neighborhood: Central District
(206) 860-1724
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
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 »
57 reviews for Meskel Ethiopian Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The veggie combo was by far my favorite." In 9 reviews -
"But it is the injera that keeps us coming back." In 20 reviews -
"The place is nice and definitely a converted house." In 3 reviews
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57 reviews in English
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Review from Andrew R.
Seattle, WA
5/10/2012
This is my favorite spot for authentic tasty Ethiopian food in Seattle. It's set in a renovated house and makes you feel like you're at eating in your Ethiopian auntie's home where she's welcoming you and serving all the home cooked food you've been craving. It's clean, comfortable, affordable and delicious
Last time I was here I enjoyed the vegetarian combo for $12- all the tasty veg dishes they make served on injera, with more injera to scoop with- red lentils, yellow lentils, collard greens, cheese, shero (buttery red saucy goodness), fitfit (chopped up injera bread with tasty sauce) cabbage & carrots and salad
It's great to enjoy the variety of a bunch of super flavorful dishes and to be warmly welcomed with great hospitality- plus they have a huge patio where you can eat in the sun (if it's out)
Look forward to go back again soon -
Review from Cori S.
Wallingford, Seattle, WA
3/28/2012
yum yum yum. been here a few times, never disappointed by the food. it's always too much to finish b/c it's so heavy, but it's delish.
atmosphere is a little off, it's a small place so normally only one waitress helps everyone. and it's in a house so you don't get much privacy. -
Review from Adine L.
12/29/2011
i had been meaning to try ethiopian food for a long time, and finally, i went on a date with a guy who wanted to take me. i love eating with my hands, and i was always told that the food was similar to indian food, which i LOVE.
the food was amazing. i really preferred the vegetarian stuff opposed to the meat selections, which is strange because i do love most meats... the service was great, and although i wouldn't say the ambiance was equally so, the whole experience was amazing. -
Review from Jen A.
Seattle, WA
5/24/2012
Great food. Though I usually eat more veg than meat, when I eat ethiopian, I prefer the meat. Great lamb
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Review from John H.
Seattle, WA
5/23/2012
Ask for the BBQ (beef). It's not on the menu, but it now seems to be available regularly. Served with thin-sliced caramelized onion and peppers in a charcoal-warmed clay pot. Yum!
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Review from Robel A.
Mercer Island, WA
2/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is by far the worst Ethiopian food I've ever had and am not a Picky eater. I won't return and certainly won't recommend it to anyone.
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Review from Craig Y.
Seattle, WA
11/26/2011
I LOVE Ethiopian food and take every opportunity to try a new restaurant which is why I am flabbergasted at Meskel's less than 4+* rating.
This food here is authentic and super fresh. Yes, the food is not as mouth-burning as other places, but, as a result, the complexity and richness of the spices come through more clearly. Meskel's seasoning is rich, complex, savory, smooth and balanced. And there is tremendous variety; each dish and flavor profile is distinct, authentic and very different.
I order the vegetarian special and have never been disappointed. I've been to so many Ethiopian restaurants where the veg dishes are prepared earlier in the week; not Meskel. Everything here is prepared fresh. If I weren't vegetarian, I would try the raw (tartar) meat dishes. This seems to be the favorite of the local Ethiopians and Eritreans who frequent Meskel and there is no greater testament to freshness and cleanliness than a kitchen committed to raw meat dishes. Few Ethiopian restaurants dare serve up this speciality; if you like spice and raw meat (such as sushi, serviche, steak tartar, carpaccio or black and blue steak) you have to try this dish.
A word about the injera; I am super picky when in comes to injera. The texture and flavor must be just right and sadly many Ethiopian restaurants serve dry and stale injera. Meskel's injera is consistently moist and springy with just the right mouth feel and mildly sour flavor. Meskel's consistency here is a reflection of the owner's focus on quality.
The owner, a woman by the way, is warm and gracious. I am gay and come here with my partner all the time and have always felt welcome. -
Review from Ally S.
Seattle, WA
2/16/2012
Ethiopian food
on every corner.
Meskel wins every time. -
Review from Chris L.
8/18/2011
Having eaten amazingly good Ethiopian food in the dingiest, grimiest scourge-of-the-health-district joints across the continent, I was a bit stunned to find such a wholesome-looking place rated so highly. However, taking refuge from the midday sun under the wide umbrellas on the expansive patio, my coworkers and I were not disappointed. The doro wat, the vegetable platter, the homemade cheese were all so good I can forgive whoever poured the pitchers of water for substituting a flotilla of sad little lemon slices for any measure of ice whatsoever.
Inexplicably not air conditioned--are they trying to replicate Ethiopia's climate to enhance the experience?--the inside was nonetheless charming. The only pall cast over the experience was a near brawl that occurred across the street as a band of people hunkered down in lawn chairs outside their house entered into a dialogue with a group who exited the bus at the corner. Certain words were exchanged, as were certain glass projectiles--a bottle or two? The exchange intensified and the tension mounted as we tersely sipped our warming, vaguely lemon-flavored water. Luckily, the bus riders caroused off into the...well wait, then, it was only noon, wasn't it? Caroused off into the...noon? How is it that all of them were so drunk that early? How do I get that job?
Aaaaanyway. My compatriots--one an Ethiopian food newbie, the other formerly a believer that it was supposed to be served with cottage cheese--became, respectively, a convert and a zealot. Me, I'm going back some day when I'm not working so I can have some beer. I'm just not taking the bus. -
Review from Alice B.
8/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My first Ethiopian food experience, and so far, so good! I've been driving past this place nearly every day since I moved to Seattle 5 years ago, but finally stopped in for dinner last night.
An old friend of mine who recently spent a year in Ethiopia stopped in town and was craving Ethiopian food. While there were certainly many options around this area, I've heard good things about this place. I was also glad to have someone who knew the food help me order.
There were 3 of us, and we ordered the Vegetarian Combo and the lamb tibs for dinner, several extra sides of Injera (although certainly not necessary), and 2 Baklavas for dessert along with the traditional Machiatto coffee. Plenty of food, and total bill was $45.
Some tidbits I learned from my friend: Injera, the spongy flat bread used to pick up the food and also what the food is served on can be a blend of teff and other flours. Those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity can request Injera made only from teff, which is more expensive, but also iron-rich. The tibs here were excellent, nice flavor and not too chewy. I think this was made from lamb here, with a unique flavor similar to teriyaki meets BBQ meets Gyros. In Ethiopia, it can be made from beef or goat. If you want the Italian-style (Ethiopia was occupied by Italy and thus left strong influences) coffee/machiatto, you need to request it, or you will get a cup of regular drip coffee. Also ask for sugar on the side since Ethiopians tend to add a signifiant amount of sugar to their coffees. But their machiatto was one of the best my friend has had anywhere.
They have a nice elevated patio area that is enclosed from the street, but as it was a late dinner and no one else was outside, we ate inside. Service was good, and though we were the only party past 11 PM, they didn't ask us to leave. They also had nice Ethiopian music from popular singers playing.
All in all, I'd say I like Ethiopian food and would give it a try again, and try some new dishes. It passed my friend's taste test, and she said it was quite authentic, very tasty, and definitely satisfied her craving for Ethiopian food. -
Review from heather j.
Mountlake Terrace, WA
10/10/2011
While I was very confused trying to find the door to this place, I was pleasantly suprised by the tastiness of the food. I had to try three doors to enter and then I was worried they wouldnt take credit cards (but they did). I much enjoyed my veggie platter, particularly my inerja, the salad and the chick pea dish. The coffee was also mighty tasty and strong. It appears that the patio will be nice in the summer. With so many ethopian places in the area its hard to know if I made the right choice, but this one came recommended and I will recommend it as well.
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Review from Persian T.
Seattle, WA
5/29/2011
Just GOOD Ethiopian food. I prefer this place over any other Ethiopian place I've tried. Not in the best of areas, but it's easy to find (looks like a house from the outside). Give it a try!
- It's clean.
- Run by good people.
- Portions are nice and big.
- I recommend the Bozena Shiro...It'll look very different from anything you've ever tried, but trust me, it's so darn good!
- Doro tibs is a safe thing to try if it is your first time trying out Ethiopian food.
- Crazy-looking delicious bread.
I've been going here for years. And whenever I try some other Ethiopian place, I either get food poisoning or I leave unsatisfied. -
Review from John E.
Olympia, WA
6/24/2007
Although I can walk to at least six Ethiopian restaurants here in the CD, I am still searching for that mysterious mix of ambiance, tastiness, traditional style, and price. Meskel is passable on the last three, but the food is not that spicy and the service is uneven. Once, we had to nag a couple of times to get drinks and side orders, which made the ambiance at our table "testy vegans". Noone wants that, right? Do not withhold food from the vegans: they have no fat stores.
They have a good vegetarian combo, and good injera. I'll be back. -
Review from Jeff G.
5/28/2007
I'm torn here. I think Meskel is one of the very best Ehiopian restaurants in Seattle. It's in a fantastic location; an old converted house with a large porch for sunny days. Their vegetarian combo is a ton of food and with a side of Tibbs(beef or lamb) it's a huge meal for two or three people.They also have wine beer and cocktails!
Here's where I'm torn though. I live across the street and on weekends if I go out in the early evening I usually can't find a parking space when I get back. This place is that popular. And the deck can get pretty noisy on a warm summer night.
So if you do come here for delicious Injera, the sunny deck, and cocktails, please take a cab here and use your inside voice.Listed in: It's A Small World After All
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Review from E T.
Seattle, WA
6/10/2008
Overall, we had a good experience - the food seemed authentic, we loved that they brought out these massive, but light plates with the layers of Injera and then dumped our food on it. I played it safe, splitting the Green chicken which was delicious and very buttery and the Vegi combo which had a lot of variety. The portions were just right for our group - we underestimated the Injera and we could definitely feel it expanding in our tummies. Fast eaters beware...
3 stars because I have to admit, I am going to remember the crazy lady who threatened my friend and rhymed most of her phrases much more vividly than our food. Just be on your toes when you're sitting outside...that neighborhood has a lot of character. And the service was just okay. -
Review from Sheila Y.
San Francisco, CA
2/29/2008
Went here awhile back and I still remember my meal. Unfortunately it doesn't hold a candle to Ras Kassa's in Boulder so I just can't in good conscience give it more than three stars. The Chicken Tibs was meh, but the vegetarian combo was decent and the injera was super sour, which I love. The service was great, but then again we were one of three tables at this place.
I am pretty sure this is the best bet in Seattle, which is a bit disappointing but I'll try to give this place another chance. -
Review from Joe A.
Seattle, WA
10/18/2011
Nice authentic Ethiopian. My wife Cate and I really enjoy the food.
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Review from Nick W.
6/1/2010
Park in a residential neighborhood, walk up the stairs to the deck, approach the backdoor, peek your head in, and take a seat. While this sounds like a way to get an illicit substance, it's actually the way you casually walk into meskel to score some fantastic Ethiopian cuisine.
The staff is always friendly, the purveyor seems to always be sitting at one of the tables keeping watch over the customers, and the food always comes immediately (especially if you aren't ordering meat). Their veggie combo is wonderful and certainly enough for two people. Add a couple sides and you can stuff two people to the point of needing naps and the bill will barely cross the $20 mark.
While I've never been so bold, they have a rowdy bar in the basement that always seems to feature lots of people, lots of beer, lots of fun, but never much English speaking.
I can't compare it to all the other joints in the neighborhood, but standing alone it's a great experience. -
Review from Rossana Y.
Lynnwood, WA
1/15/2009 1 photo
I've never had Ethiopian food before until I came here after a friend recommended this place. When we walked in, it totally reminded me of someone's house but was made into a restaurant. There were no problems making reservations and the service was attentive. I was surprised that you're not supposed to use utensils when eating but you use your hands the whole time. Our group of 8 ordered family style which included a couple veggie combo platters and several stewed beef and lamb.
Here's how you eat it:
You rip off a small piece of injera (this spongy, slightly sour bread), use it to scoop up a small amount of food from the platter, and consume. It's like food and crafts! My favorite was the meat especially the stewed lamb. As a note, don't eat the injera too fast because it expands in your stomach. I was surprised that I was already getting full while we were halfway done. We ended up having a LOT of leftovers in the end.
Ethiopian food isn't for everyone but I personally enjoyed the food here at Meskel. Don't be afraid to try something new! I'll definitely come back here again when I'm feeling adventurous. -
Review from Evy L.
Seattle, WA
1/4/2007
Getting into the restaurant is a bit confusing, because the restaurant is upstairs, but the ground floor doesn't make it perfectly clear which way to go. But go through the front door, head past the bar, and up the stairs.
It took awhile for us to get seated. I think partially because the place was so busy. But, it was worth it, once we received our order. We ordered the vegetarian combo and the #6 (a beef dish that I cannot remember the name of). Everything was very flavorful and really good. Injera, of course, expands in your stomach. So, while it didn't look like a ton of food, it really was.
Definitely check the place out. It's not particularly charming--but the food is delicious. -
Review from jasmine r.
Seattle, WA
10/18/2007
I frickin LOVE Ethiopian food, and I LOVE this place!
I've been here about 9 times in 2 months and have always been happy with everything!
I had bad service at Meskel once, but that doesn't take away from all the other times when it was great. I think someone didn't show up for shift, and they had someone who never waited tables helping out. Whatever, minor flaw.
p.s. Don't ask for a fork, you'll look like an ass! (hey, just trying to help you out) -
Review from wes y.
Bellevue, WA
1/26/2009
Been here a couple of times and it's been very good. Nice vibe being in a converted house. Several local Ethiopians also eating so that's a good sign. I would recommend this place if you're looking for good food in a very
relaxed setting. A good place to take a date if you're looking for the out of the ordinary. The service can be a bit slow but if you take the time to talk with the waitresses who are foreign, it helps. Try one of the 3 Ethiopian beers. -
Review from Chadd B.
Seattle, WA
2/13/2009
I have been eating Ethiopean food in Seattle since the mid-90's, and for the past few years Meskel and Lalibela (sp?) have been our go to places on First Hill, and Zuma Grocery by our house in the Northend.
My dad was in town, he was stationed in Addis and Asmara in the 60's, so we went to Meskel, our fave. We ordered the Veggie Combo and Doro Wot - plus a few beers for the three of us.
I was shocked by how the food seems to have shrunk. There was about a quarter or half cup of each: Greens, Lentils, Potato, yellow lentils, and the spicy chopped Injera. Lots of cheese, the photo is pretty accurate.
The $12 Doro Wot was one scrawny chicken leg and an egg. The sauce was delish, but those are Crush and Crow prices for a chicken leg!
In all, we were dissapointed. At Zuma (takeout) one $10 veggie combo will stuff the two of us for dinner, with enough left over for lunch for the both of us (so 4 meals). Here we had two entrees, and literally scraped the platter clean.
So sad that this happened... -
Review from Erin D.
Olympia, WA
8/28/2008
I'd rate this as one of my top 3 favorite Ethiopian restaurants (the other two being Queen Sheba and Addis).
We've always had pretty good service, the food has always been well-prepared, fresh and tasty. The injera is just like injera should be - soft, spongey and slightly tangy.
It's definitely not a hurry-up kind of vibe - it's the kind of place where you have a friendly, lingering dinner with friends, eating, drinking, and laughing.
Also? There's lots of funny in this world and the review two below just ain't one of 'em - besides not actually being much of an actual review. -
Review from Alison V.
2/28/2008
Meskel was my first time eating Ethiopian food. First, I discovered it's really not my thing for the most part. More importantly, however, I discovered Ethiopian beer really isn't that different than some US beers. I was kind of disappointed by that. I don't know what I was expecting, but moving on to the food...the reason most people owuld go there.
I tried the raw kitfo and wasn't a fan. Then again, I don't like many meats raw...I'm not even a sushi person. However, all the other people at the table seemed really into it and loved it. It was a personal difference. Kitfo, it's me, not you.
The chicken dish (I think Green Chicken it was called) was actually quite delicious and would probably be my choice to eat when I end up back there. There were some good beef and lamb dishes, but once again, just not my thing.
Meskel still earns 4 stars in my book though, because with a big group coming in unannounced they handled it well, got all our food out hot and fairly quick, and were happy to see us. They were sure to double check that we were sure to order the kitfo raw and that we wanted things spicy. It was nice to have servers who cared that we would be happy with the food. -
Review from Jessica B.
Seattle, WA
5/18/2011
Cute building, clean, big. Not spectacular food, especially with so many other options in that area.
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Review from Gates B.
Seattle, WA
7/31/2009
The biggest draw to Meskel for me is the wrap around outdoor patio you can see from Cherry Street. Much of the year in Seattle it's not quite warm enough to enjoy it, but this summer has been great for eating Ethiopian on the patio.
But I'd only give them three stars as the service can be a bit spotty - last visit it seemed two waitresses were serving us and forgot one of our Mango juices after we asked for it twice. There was also a light on a motion sensor that starting going on and off until a patron next to us had them turn it off.
Meskel is a bit pricier than my favorite Ethiopian place nearby, Mesob. You'll pay ~$12 for a combo platter here that is a few bucks cheaper at Mesob. And I think the quality is okay here but not as good as others.. a bit on the bland side.
So if you want patio dining and some Injera, come here, otherwise I'd consider one of the other Ethiopian joints. -
Review from Coleena S.
Seattle, WA
7/16/2010 2 photos
Of course if you've read my reviews you notice I lean towards eating vegetables and vegetarian plates when I dine. Meskel was no exception. I ordered their vegetarian combo and it was amazing!
I originally wanted to share with someone, but everyone had already paired up with the folks they'd share with. This left me to dig my injera in to my own personal plate, but it was enough to split between two people if you want to share.
So far my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Seattle! -
Review from Matt A.
Seattle, WA
4/17/2008
Meskel as my first Ethiopian food experience while living in Seattle. Unfortunately it didn't really do it for me. There is an awesome Etriean place back in Portland, ME that I am holding in the highest regard, so it might be hard to beat. I think it helped that there was a huge refugee population in Portland that helped keep the quality good.
The food at Meskel was good, but nothing amazing. The portions were actually small compared to what I am used to. We tried the Ethiopian wines, neither were that good. Service was great however. I probably won't go back to this one, but will be trying a few more in town. -
Review from D.J. Y.
11/28/2007
Get in ma belly!!! I want my baby-back baby-back ribs, I want my....oops, wrong jingle....
Needless to say, this place rocks, met a bunch of the old crew from high school, and we had a grand time. Service was attentive yet left us alone while we chatted the night away.
While the Injera, the sponge-like, torilla-ish pancake for a lack of a better term, seemed a bit too "sour" for my tastes it was enjoyable. I did inhale the tibs both chicken and lamb, along with our veggie platter. I found it a bit interesting that the veggie platter was a bit, cold/chilled, I don't recall it being served this way at other Ethiopian places I have been to. I did like the fact our server asked how "spicey" we wanted our food, sadly, I was in the minority and we opted for "mild". It was very tastey none the less.
Street parking was okay, but had this been a weekend I could see how people could get pissed. I'll have to take the bus during the Summer months and revisit this place to try out the deck!
Ethoiopian beer and honey-wine served, my crew said it was all delish! -
Review from Laura B.
Seattle, WA
5/9/2009
Wowsers, awesome.
We had the vegetarian combo and doro wat. Now... I really kinda sorta wished there had been a meat combo as some others have, but after having the doro wat, I really kinda forgot about that... not to mention we were so full we brought home a ton more injera than we'd ever eat (we got, for 2 people/2 dishes, the one the veggie combo was served on then 2 more huge, thick, moist pieces, way bigger and better than the injera elsewhere like Saba, Sheeba, etc)... we downed all the veggies, liking all but the tomato-vinegar sauce with chopped injera one... the collards, the lentils, the cauliflower (oh give me more of that, mmm), the split peas, and the salad (which the other person with me took all but one lil bite of, the thief!) were great.
The doro wat... wellll. I gotta say that chicken, both then and the day after, had my heart humming happy songs. SO tender, so lush... so lovely. The egg was cooked quite well but they don't do the little poking holes thing in theirs, so the flavor of the berbere wasn't as soaked into the egg as I'm used to. No bother--the berbere quickly incorporated, as I decided to actually use the provided spoon to split the egg so she wouldn't have to share much of my spit). In her words, "her" being someone whose nose wrinkled 4 times at suggesting Ethiopian, "Mmm I loovvvve this. I could just eat this like SOUP!" She tried... and her face did a "whoa that's got kick" expression before I said, "The injera really tempers it... or try it with some cheese."
We had more cheese than we could figure out what to do with--the salad got some, but really... a whole BOWL of cheese for doro wat?
They offered us extra plates (we politely said we'd figure it out), offered several things. She even took my ID when I ordered honey wine, mostly out of sentiment... both of us liked their honey wine, though for some reason it seemed stronger than Sheeba's--I figured it would be the same stuff, but maybe not. This may just be fresher/not decanted/not stale... was good anyway. They even put a slice of lime in the water. It works.
The service was freakishly fast... I mean, I know the stuff is cooked early and they are just putting it on plates, but WOW.
Oh, Don't miss out on going through the lounge/bar and acting lost... it's really quite the spectacle.
I loved how HAPPY everyone there was, and the waitresses were so sweet and cute. The one that put our things in a (cool thick paper carton) to go box (that my guest proceeded to decorate with cute little aliens and strange animals once we got the pen to sign the card stuff!) had an adorable giggle, for what it's worth. WAY nicer than some places I've been--I know WHY they were voted BEST Ethiopian food (with NONE of the 20+ competitors in town even getting on the list!) by Seattle Met (that I agree in general with most all of the winners of, that gave me another 20 places to yelp, curse you!!)... everything, the setting in particular being several notches above the rest, was just so much BETTER than the others. I didn't have a bit of anything that wasn't perfect, and that... gets them 5 *s when others... get few. -
Review from David R.
Seattle, WA
2/28/2008
A very fun meal will await you at this place. A friend had a birthday Dinner here and was a great way for a group to share the food experiance.
The RAW kitfo was amazing. I can't remember the name of the hot powder that was super yummy but it was something like bubblyberry? They asked twice when we ordered Raw just to make sure its what we really wanted (was a nice gesture)
The bread reminded me of a crepe served cold and thats not a bad thing. Prefect way to reach over your friends beer for your next handful sized portion of veggies and meat dishes.
Really a great place to go with friends and dine with friends in a fun fashion. Downstairs is the bar where it seemed Futbol is the game of choice. -
Review from Heather D.
Seattle, WA
2/28/2011
I'm not saying the food is TERRIBLE, but, it lacked the heat and spices I'm used to...The oddly cold injera tasted store-bought and the gomen was absolutely flavorless. I feel like there is so much wasted potential here if this is how the food normally is but maybe I just caught them on an off day. I honestly don't understand why people are saying this is the BEST Ethiopian place in Seattle.... I left feeling disappointed.
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Review from Lisa B.
Seattle, WA
6/12/2011
This is one of my standbys. The veggie combo and the lamb tibbs are very, very good. Portions are big, easy to share. The injira is almost always fresh, as is the food. They have a nice deck for the summertime. Service can be hit or miss.
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Review from Frank A.
Seattle, WA
11/24/2008
I can happily say Meskel is the best ethiopian food in Seattle. I've done the rounds (see my other reviews), and this restaurant consistantly provides great food and a good overall experience. My favorites are the the veggie platter and the mixed platter. The home-made cheese included with the veggie platter melts in your mouth. The yebeg tibbs (lamb) is a little chewy, but still well seasoned.
Meskel's interior is in bad need of an up date. The window treatments alone make me feel like I'm eating ethiopian at my mother's house. But, while out-dated, the restaurant is always clean. As mentioned, the patio is wonderful on a warm day.
Their bathroom is huge, and is also kept clean. -
Review from kelly c.
Portland, OR
8/14/2007
Meskel is one of my favorite CD amenities. The food is solid, though not out-of-this world and lacking in the important spice factor, and they have a nice selection of beer and wine. The service is kind and accommodating, though admittedly they can quickly become overwhelmed by a large crowd. The patio, however, is Meskel's crowning glory. In order to fully experience and appreciate Meskel, you simply must sit outside! It is a great joy for me to sit outside! in my very own neighborhood! experiencing dinner!
Listed in: A Central-District Kind of…
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Review from Pickle b.
WA
12/16/2007
I am not an expert on Ethiopian cuisine, but this was delicious. Sharing the veggie combo and stewed lamb (baa! baa!) I was in heaven and the ghostly cries of the lamb were quelled by my satisfied tummy.
The service is a little slow, but you know what, the food is worth it. And more importantly, service was pleasant, attentive but not overly so. -
Review from Neal M.
King, WA
1/3/2010
This is our favorite Ethiopian restaurant to go to. The prices might be a bit higher than some of the others, but we feel the food to be worth it. The vegetarian combo is an awesome deal and could fill up two people. The doro tibbs are really flavorful chicken pieces in a tomato based sauce. But it is the injera that keeps us coming back. We prefer the injera at Meskel to any of the other places we have been to. And since you eat injera with every bite, you have to like it. Service has always been good for us too.
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Review from Stephanie P.
Seattle, WA
11/19/2007
This was my first time eating Ethipian food and for the most part it was very tasty. The veggie combo was by far my favorite. We had a couple of meat dishes that were OK. The service was great and it is a good place to go with a group of friends.
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Review from Jess S.
Seattle, WA
8/8/2008
at first i thought it was good that i was the only 'person of Caucasian descent' there because if everyone else is Ethiopian the food must be great, right?
well, the server i had only visited me 2x. she took my order & brought me the food 30 minutes later. i got no water until i managed to flag down another server to get some. i got no napkins so i got up & got some paper towels from the bathroom myself. the food was alright. but the sheer neglect reminded me too much of being a kid again.
