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Ras Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Ethiopian Ethiopian [Edit]
5846 N Broadway St(between Ardmore Ave & Rosedale Ave)
Chicago, IL 60660
Neighborhood: Edgewater
(773) 506-9601
- Nearest Transit:
-
Thorndale (Red Line)
Bryn Mawr (Red Line)
Granville (Red Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 12 pm - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10:30 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
The popularity of Iguana Cafe has driven it to be one of the great Chicago city hot spots, bringing the celebrated European atmosphere, flavor and… read more »
318 reviews for Ras Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant
Review Highlights
"I also recommend the honey wine."
(in 23 reviews)
"For entrees I highly recommend the doro wat."
(in 32 reviews)
"The injera was great and the flavors were fabulous."
(in 91 reviews)
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318 reviews in English
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Review from Pascal M.
Naperville, IL
1/15/2012
Talk food so good you could slap yo momma!
Ethiopian food is beautifully soulful, full of bold flavors and interesting spices, and is a load of fun to eat with your friends or family. Ras Dashen has it down pat. I believe they are family run, so you know you get true recipes from their community, culture, and origin. It's so cool we have this in the city.
Bring some friends, order a lot, and have fun talking about the food together. Here's some suggestions on what to order:
+Komodoro Salata- Good clean salad with a touch of heat., helps harmonize all the interesting flavors.
+Qosta- Another nice vegetable dish to throw in with all the meat. Reminicent of of cream spinach.
+Ib- Extremely frush cheese that helps neutralize your palate from all the bold spices.
+Doro Wat- A must order, it's their national dish
+Yebeg tibs be berbere- Flavor town here, whole lot of spice
+Qelulu- Another awesome protien dish with a lot of good flavor going on
+Gored Gored- Nice and tender, also lots of heat.
+Kitfo tere- Different take on steak tartare, good stuff. -
Review from Brian C.
1/28/2012
We accidentally ordered a raw beef appetizer here. Our waitress warned us, with a heavy accent, "you know that's grraabeef?" Yep, we'll take it. It arrived a few minutes later, tada! Then she said with less of an accent "I told you, here's your raw beef." We got a laugh out of it and it was actually a lot tastier than you'd think. The texture was a little weird though. Anyway, raw beef is edible. Who knew?
We ordered other platters too and it was all delicious. I really enjoyed the lamb dinner, yebeg alicha. I'm a sucker for injera. The staff here has a great sense of humor for those of us who have no idea what Ethiopian food is all about. It's a good place to go as an intro to the style of cuisine. -
Review from Nam D.
Chicago, IL
1/23/2012
Ethiopian cuisine has good stew meats (I ordered the lamb) that have a nice spice to them and you the dining style is a family shared style. If you want to try something different like eating with your hands I'll give Ras Dashen on the north-side a try! Great for adventurous diners and groups... A very clean restaurant as well fyi for those who want to know!
The one thing I'll have to get to use to is the Ethiopian flat bread that is used, injera which has a sour tang to it but is balanced with the spicy curried meat stews. -
Review from Monica S.
Evanston, IL
1/8/2012
I gave Ethiopian food a second chance after trying it at a restaurant in D.C., which ran out of tej! How that happened at an Ethiopian restaurant, I don't know, but I made sure to order the honey wine here. I chose the homemade tej over the Oakland, CA version and was very satisfied with how the tej's level of sweetness complemented the spices in the food. I especially liked the texture of items 6, 8, and the mushroom wat from the vegetarian dinner for two combo; I also ordered 12, 14, and 17, but those items didn't suit my palate.
Back then, I was also an amateur when it came to eating injera--I felt painfully stuffed after that first meal in D.C. You see, even though the porosity of the sour flat bread makes it easy to scoop up sauces and dishes with your hands, it also absorbs water like crazy. So this time around, I made sure to put aside my glass of water while eating...and my stomach thanked me afterwards. Be aware that after the first basket of injera, any additional ones will be $1 per roll.
Overall, I thought the Ethiopian food was okay, but for the price we paid for two people (~$50), the service and ambience needs more work:
-1 star for the inattentive hostess, who zoned out while chewing her bubble gum.
-1 star for the dim lighting; I could barely read my dinner menu by candlelight. -
Review from Saira K.
1/29/2012
The food, together with the live music, was great.
-
Review from Elena S.
Oak Park, IL
1/6/2012
Ras Dashen has amazing food cooked with love by the owner Zenash who clearly has a passion for food and people. I've eaten there so many times, I have no clue as to the number. All dishes are served on a massive tray over the crepe called njera - which has a sourdough type flavor which compliments the food, eaten with your hand, cradled in a small piece of the crepe.
Favorite vegis/pulses - yellow split peas, beet salad
Favorite entrees - tilapia, lamb (the kind they call juicy), and berbere stew
The tea is delicious and nutritive as it's blended in house with fresh cardamom (yum) and the coffee service is a treat to experience.
As much as I can stuff myself eating here, I never feel as if I have a "food coma" or overstuffed because it's fresh, high quality and well prepared. -
Review from DJ S.
Chicago, IL
1/2/2012
My girlfriend as I wanted to like this place so much. But we didn't. Which is sad because it has received such spectacular reviews. Maybe it was just us, but we've tried everything in Edgewater that exists. And we thought... Well, let's try it for new years. Best for last. Yelpers raved about it and I was ready to be blown away with every entrée and side.
But like I said, it didn't happen. We had the omnivore dinner for two. We ordered the doro wat(18), yebeg tis bebere(21), and the zizil alicha(*which was cold*30). And as sides: Qosta(7), Ib(9), and the kik alicha (11).
The Bedele beer from Ethiopia is delicious. Like... a mix between a Hefeweizen and a good Czech Pilsner. Aside from that, I really cannot recommend anything but the yebeg tis bebere(21). So disappointing!
Without further ado, we paid $70 dollars for two people to eat a cold entree and food we simply didn't enjoy. We thought we had sophisticated palates, but maybe it just wasn't for us? We left feeling unsatisfied and not all that full.. =/
Some things in Edgewater I cannot go without. Indie's Panang curry, Little India's Lamb Vindaloo, or Nookie's Muscles appetizer... And I thought that upon gorging down at Ras Dashen, I'd feel that way for at least ONE of their entrées or sides...
The fact is, we won't ever be back. At least we tried Ras Dashen. We tried so very hard. Your service wasn't all that great either. But at least it was an experience. One that we'll never participate in again. -
Review from Gabrielle B.
Chicago, IL
2/1/2012
I am the most LOYAL Ras Dashen customer. Whenever a friend suggests Ethopian Diamond or another place I always insist we go here! My sister discovered it a few years back and it is my family's favorite restaurant. We always sit at the traditional tables and enjoy the most fresh, delicious Ethiopian food. I do have to admit it took about 4 tries for me to even like Ethiopian food but now I am addicted! The service is also very friendly and attentive. By far the best Ethiopian food in the city. I would order the doro wat and all of the veggie side dishes including ib, misser salata, ethio salata, they are all amazing!
-
Review from Kymia J.
Chicago, IL
12/23/2011
Amazingly delicious!
I've been to several Ethiopean spots (in LA, DC, and Chi) and nothing else compares. Enjoyable menu selections and the servers will readily give suggestions if you're completely lost (the fish - asa wat - is addictive).
Been here with friends and on dates and the ambience is such that you can enjoy it with either. -
Review from Erica K.
Chicago, IL
11/28/2011
This is my favorite spot for Ethiopian noms. You will find delicious dishes, each with distinct textures and flavors. See, that's my issue with a lot of ethnic restaurants...they just make everything taste the same. Not so at Ras Dashen! Our server didn't exactly get our brand of humor, but she was more than willing to explain things and recommend dishes. I learned a long time ago that I can't expect EVERYONE to think I'm as hilarious as I do, so I still give full points for service.
Anyway, try it out. I've come to love Ethiopian in the last few years. Something about eating with my hands satisfies my inner child like you wouldn't believe. :) -
Review from Jen S.
Chicago, IL
1/29/2012
yum yum yum yum, super delicious, great waitstaff, and gluten-friendly! call ahead for gf injera. the only downside is that there are too many good choices... i always want everything!
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Review from TK K.
Chicago, IL
1/14/2012
Having dined at various Ethiopian restaurants over the years, I must say I have never eaten bad Ethiopian food. But none of them compare to Ras Dashen. Being the Ethiopian dining veteran, I guided my two first-time Ethiopian dining companions on their culinary adventure.
I had the vegetarian sampler, which allows one to order five selections. I enjoyed the misser wat, qosta, gomen, komodoro salata and tikil gomen alicha. My friends also enjoyed their meal immensely. My friend ordered chocolate cake for dessert. The server informed us it is made fresh and would take approximately twenty minutes. Upon its arrival, steam was coming from its center, as it was just taken from the oven. The chocolate aroma was mouth watering and the first bite of the warm chocolate cake was sensational. It was worth the wait. The only problem was it was so small. We should have each ordered one. Being a recovering chocoholic, I would return just for the delicious cake. -
Review from Laura T.
Chicago, IL
1/14/2012
This is my favorite restaurant in the city.
I've never had anything I didn't like here, the staff are very nice, and the atmosphere is lovely. The prices can be a tad high if you order individually, but the meat or omnivore combos down at the bottom of the menu are a great value for 2 or more people. And if you need more, ad an extra side!
Also the coconut crème brûlée is to die for! -
Review from Leanne A.
12/13/2011 13 Check-ins Here
I sing every sunday night at Ras Dashen, and we are fed a huge feast each time. That means I've eaten here approximately 52 times, as it's been a little over a year. I KNOW this food like I know the back of my hand. I can depend on it always being the most delicious, scrumptious meal. Every single sunday, I look forward to my Ethiopian feast. We have our favorites, for sure, but I love basically everything on the menu.
The injera at Ras Dashen (injera is the bread everything is served on top of) is so sour and full of little air holes and fluffy yet dense and omg so good. Injera might be my favorite bread, ever.
Komodoro salad: fresh and vinegary. sometimes spicy. A lot like pico de gallo, it's my fave salad at ras dashen.
Ethio salad: more like a typical american side salad, with added flavor from jalapenos.
Tikil gomen: if you like cabbage, don't miss this. Very filling dish for vegetarians.
Qosta: kind of like popeye spinach. healthy and tasty.
Ib: mmmmmm IB. Pronounced with a short i, not a long i, ib is like fresh mozzarella but creamier, and not lumpy like cottage cheese.
Doro wat: If you like spicy chicken, don't miss this. I don't find it to be spicy enough, but the chicken falls off the bone, and the hard boiled egg breaks apart so nicely. Mix it all with the sauce...mmmmmmmmm
YEBEG DEREQ: BY FAR, my fave entree on the menu. We order TWO of these every week. lol. It's lamb that has been pan-fried and full of rosemary flavor. It's not oily, but it's so incredibly flavorful. We even chew on the bones when there's none left. I could literally eat this every day.
Zilzil alicha: my fave beef entree. Totally juicy, oniony, fresh. Zilzil, it's what's for dinner.
Kitfo lebleb: the single dish on the menu I don't like, but my bandmates love it. I find it too undercooked and really oily.
Sega wat: one of the spicier dishes (I always want more spicy everything) this beef dish is really saucy. It soaks in to the injera really well and mixes with all the veggies.
All the lentil and chickpea dishes are very tasty, too. A great place for vegetarians.
Espresso: think Turkish coffee. This stuff is strrrrong and powerful
Ethio chai: yummmmy tea! Like chamomile, but better. So yummy in wintertime.
Many of the cooks and most of the staff at Ras Dashen are Ethiopian, and so is a lot of their clientele. You will be getting the full authentic experience in a nice yet cozy environment.
I think what I love most about their food is that it's so packed full of flavor and sauce, and you get so much food and bread, it's like the joy just keeps filling up your mouth. I leave here every sunday way too full. And that makes me happy.
The staff are skilled at recognizing regulars, and will be especially warm towards familiar faces. They work hard to create a delicious event.Listed in: Outs! Afuera! Patios!, My ears are happy
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Review from Tim R.
9/25/2011
My first experience at an Ethiopian restaurant, and it certainly lived up to expectations.
I chose a selection of lentil and vegetable based dishes of varying spiciness, and whose names I don't remember. Every single one was delicious, and very filling. The injera bread was the perfect vehicle for the food. There were some interesting African beers on offer, which I'd never tried before, but were good. Service was charming. -
Review from Jas R.
Chicago, IL
10/18/2011
5-star all the way.
I am not going to detail my experience because there's already a truck-load of that available here.
If you have not been to Ras Dashen so far then you've missed something.
I feel bad for myself because I discovered Ethiopian food only when I turned 30. What a waste....
We were 4 people who dined and had a couple of beers and a scotch for under $100 with a live band playing traditional Jazz music.
You'll love it... -
Review from Kiesha M.
Los Angeles, CA
11/13/2011
I celebrated world vegan month with Ras Dashen. The fact that they even recognize world vegan month is amazing (I didn't even know there was a world vegan month!). That they managed to make it gut-bustingly delicious is incredible.
The restaurant was pretty far from where I was staying, but it was conveniently located off the red line. The service was impeccable and I loved that they had special relationships with small businesses and farmers. It was well worth the long metro ride! -
Review from Mark P.
Bloomington, IN
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
One of the best ethiopian meals I've had. Loved the omnivore combo for 2
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Review from Sayantan B.
Evanston, IL
1/22/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This is the best Ethiopean food I have had so far in the Chicagoland area. And I have tried about 5 different restaurants till date. Each and every dish is exquisitely flavored and very very distict from one another...which is very important as in a few places the dishes tend to taste very similar. The grilled lamb dishes were chargrilled to perfection. Lamb dishes are the top even though the chicken Doro alicha was absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. We went there in a group of 24 people and they accomodated us in a private room they have at the back. We had a fantastic time and spent over 3 hours at the place until they were literally packing upto leave. I have come to this place for the 4th time now and whenever anyone wants to eat Ethiopean with me I'll take them to this place.
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Review from Jessica F.
Chicago, IL
10/11/2011
TEJ + OMNIVORE FOR 2 + WBEZ MEMBER CARD 2 FOR 1 = ONE AWESOME DINNER!
Every few months or so I crave Ethiopian food. I will think about it for days in a row. Then I make plans, starve myself just a bit so I'm REALLY hungry, and then head to Ras Dashen to eat. myself. stupid.
I usually go during the week so it's not that busy, but I've also never had trouble getting a reservation on a weekend. The staff are nice, and their homemade tej (honey wine) is delicious and goes down REAL easy with the spicy dishes.
I drag the BF with me and we get the omnivore for 2. We always get the doro wat, and usually the lebleb tibs. For sides, I love the red cabbage, and the lentils for sure! And there is just something really nice about eating with your hands. I swear it tastes better that way.
The food is always hot, and always delicious. Savory, slow-cooked - something to engage all of your senses. Be prepared for some serious spice - but the injera (it's like a sourdough pancake) takes away some of the heat... and you can always order more tej!
On the weekends I've often seen live music - with some pretty good jazz.
And the best part - you can get 2 for 1 entrees with your WBEZ member card! If you don't have one of those, don't worry - this place is very affordable. Our night out with a couple of beers or glasses of wine/tej, and the omnivore deal comes out to about $65.
I think this is a great place to take a date - the atmosphere is more intimate, especially if you sit at a traditional table. Also, you can find out if your date likes Ethiopian food or not - which would be a TOTAL deal breaker for me. -
Review from Steph M.
Chicago, IL
9/6/2011
I can't really add anything that someone hasn't already said about this place. Absolutely amazing stuff prepared and served by great people.
For two hungry people, the "Meat Combo" is a steal at $20 with two "half portions" of meat dishes and three sides. Don't be fooled by the wording; this is *plenty* of food. But if you're both really, really hungry, the "Omnivore Dinner for Two" will leave you absolutely stuffed. The Kitfo tere (a sort of Ethiopian steak tartar) is especially delicious, but I've liked every dish I've tried here. Oh, and the Ras Dashen beer complements the food quite nicely.
I recommend going on a Sunday evening to listen to Maracujaz; it's a really relaxing end to the weekend. -
Review from Anita A.
Washington, DC
1/18/2012
After leaving Chicago, I lived in Boston, DC and Houston. I must say, I have never found a place like this one. My favorite Ethiopian restaurant and probably my favorite restaurant in Chicago. At first I used to try to find people to go with me--then I just started going by myself to get my fix. Yeah, the service is slow, but it is by far the best Ethiopian food I have ever had. I always get the vegetarian combo, and I love their sambusa too! No other Ethiopian place I've been to makes sambusa like this. If you have room for dessert, I used to get the molten lava chocolate cake. I miss Ras Dashen! I need to come to Chicago for a visit so I can experience a heavenly meal there again.
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Review from Cheyenne C.
Chicago, IL
1/17/2012
I really wanted to be blown away by this place--I'd been looking forward to trying Ethiopian for quite a while. My review's based on the specifics of this restaurant as detailed in the next paragraph, but I will note the following: I'm not sure if it's Ethiopian cuisine in general, the Americanized version of Ethiopian cuisine, or Ras Dashen's particular take (since I'm not sure, I'm not holding it against Ras Dashen in my review), but I found everything surprisingly bland. I don't mean a not-spicy-enough blandness (although I was surprised at the mildness as well), but rather an absence of the flavor complexity that makes high-quality Thai, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Indian, even Chinese food (or well-spiced BBQ for that matter) so crave-able. Nothing at Ras Dashen was unpalatable, but I didn't *crave* a second bite of any of it. (Maybe the dupa wat. That was tasty.) The injera was lacking in the tanginess I'd been told to expect, the berebere sauces were good but not finger-licking... and my friend and I both thought the much-anticipated tej tasted like honeyed apple juice (it probably would have been better chilled). I should note that I stick to a strict mostly-raw, rarely spiced whole food diet at home, so on the rare occasions that I eat out, I'm pretty darn sensitive to nuanced flavor/aromatics. My friend summed it up best when we walked in... "It smells like tomato soup."
But on to the stars. I tend to think menu prices should correspond to either the ingredient quality, chef talent, or service. I'm willing to forgive weak service if the food blows my mind, and vice versa. I called to make a reservation, and actually took the minimal English on the other end as a testament to the quality of the food. And when we arrived and asked for traditional seating only to be met with a puzzled look, we sat at the standard table to which we had been ushered, asked for glasses of honey wine (getting another puzzled look when we tried asking if it was better as a dessert wine or with the meal), and opened our menus. Immediately (I mean, as soon as we looked down), we were asked for our orders, to which we politely responded we needed a few minutes. Over the course of 7 minutes, throughout which we were clearly examining the menu and discussing our options, we were asked 4 times if we were ready to order; each time we responded that we needed a few minutes. It was amusing but pretty rude, especially given that we were one of 2 tables--they didn't need us to hurry out and clear their table. When we did close our menus and look around to order... it took a few minutes for anyone to notice. Not an issue, but after feeling pressured to decide it felt a little silly. After ordering the omnivore dinner for 2 with Qosta, Diblik Atlik, Kik Alicha, Dupa Wat, Doro Wat, and Zilzil Alicha (and getting yet another look when we asked if we might substitute the special entree Gored Gored for one of those for a few extra dollars), we noticed the tucked-away traditional seating on a trip to the restroom, and were able to ask the English-speaking bartender if we might switch, as all we had to move were our drinks. Everything went smoothly after that, but for $70 (including tax and tip, no appetizers or dessert--just 2 glasses of wine and the dinner for 2), I don't expect to work so hard. I wouldn't come back, although I might order the dupa wat for pick up if I get a pumpkin craving. -
Review from Erick N.
9/1/2011
I have been dining at Ras Dashen once or twice a year for a few years now; if it were a bit closer to my condo I would be a regular. The menu features authentic Ethiopian food and everything I have tried has been good to great. The quality has been quite consistent across several visits. Dining here is a lot of fun as well. The venue is nicely appointed and the food is served atop of injera (an Ethiopian spongy type of bread). You break off a piece of the injera and use it to scoop up a portion of food. There are so many dishes to choose from and fortunately they have combination options so you can sample multiple items. My wife and I usually opt for the Omnivore dinner for two (your choice of three sides and three mains). The food is relatively inexpensive and represents a great value. Portions are generous.
In addition to having fun, authentic and tasty cuisine the service has always been decent to good at Ras Dashen and they were very accommodating when I held a monthly Ethnic dinner club for our large sized group. Ras Dashen also holds fun events periodically; my first visit here was for a beer dinner where a local brewery paired their beers with the food and the chef/owner or Ras Dashen spoke about the food. It made for a very nice and entertaining evening. The beverages are great here too; some outstanding and strong Ethiopian coffee served in a clay pot as well as a selection of African beers as well as some local microbrews.
If you want to try something different Ras Dashen is an excellent choice. -
Review from Edward C.
Chicago, IL
9/26/2011 3 photos
Went there with a group of friends a few weeks back. It's was my first time ever having Ethiopian food, so I can't really say much to the authenticity, but it was really cool that our server was actually Ethiopian, and was able to answer some of our questions. They had traditional tables for smaller groups (our group was too large, so we sat at two longer tables).
Maybe we're ignorant, but we asked if a meal served like this (all together shared from one large platter) was an everyday type meal, or something that was saved for special occasions (it's an every day type of meal, btw).
I don't love the sour injera bread on its own, but with the food, I thought it was delicious.
Being Taiwanese, I don't know a lot about Indian food, but on the surface, I would compare a lot of the entrees we had to Indian food, considering the sauces and the spices used. Even the eating method with the injera is kind of like eating with naan. Just make sure everyone washes their hand before eating. There's a sink out back to the left, outside of the bathroom, if you're just there to hand wash.
I tried a couple Ethiopian beers with the meal. Nothing extraordinary, mostly just another beer, but for just a little more than a Miller Lite, I went for it.
The price was about right, service and ambiance were very nice too. I don't know if I'll be back anytime soon though, just because it's a little out of my way. I'd definitely suggest it to anyone looking to try out Ethiopian food! -
Review from Ej S.
Chicago, IL
12/2/2011
Reviewing restaurants that already have really good reviews is difficult. There is nothing new I can say about the place, so instead I'll talk about YOU!! Yes, YOU!
Do you like a wide variety of vegan foods?
Do you like rich flavors?
Do you like your food dumped out in front of you? (In a good way!)
Are you laid back?
If you answered "yes" to any three of those, by all means try this place.
Now....
Are you on a first date?
Do you refuse to wash your hands?
Do you get creeped out by anything vaguely spongy?
Do you insist on getting MAEM (Meat at every meal)?
Do you sometimes send forks back because they aren't sanitized enough?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you might want to pass this place up. Alternatively, please let me know when you're going so that I can show up as well, for the entertainment.
In short: Eat good veggie stuff with your hands and some slightly sour (again, in a good way!) bread and your (hopefully clean at the beginning) hands.
Also note, that this restaurant is NOT affiliated in any way with Ra's al Ghul. -
Review from Vaidehi T.
Chicago, IL
8/24/2011
I love Ethiopian food, and wanted to try Ras Dashen as we usually go to Ethiopian Diamond. The food is very good. Their sambusas are exceptional. Don't remember what we ordered exactly, but I remember enjoying the Messir Wat and their pumpkin wat (which was their special for the day). The dishes were finger licking good.
Their service is a little slow - but again we were there on a Friday night. -
Review from s c.
Manhattan, NY
9/30/2011 1 photo
My Chicago friends brought me to Ras Dashen, their favourite Ethiopian eat. We chose the traditional seating with the round basket tables and low chairs. We asked for the vegetarian option to be shared among the three of us and allowed the chef to select the dishes.
This is my first forray into Ethiopian cuisine and I was very impressed with the delicious selection presented to us incorporating spices and fresh, quality ingredients. The injera, a sponglike slightly sour flatbread was perfect and plentiful for accompanying the dishes.
The serving was generous and we happily took leftovers home to enjoy.
Service was a bit slow for a weekend lunch but well worth the wait. -
Review from Laura C.
12/6/2011
On a rainy Sunday night, we rolled into Ras Dashen, not knowing that it was Brazilian jazz night. The dimly lit dining room with the live band made for an intimate dining occasion. The small wicker chairs and table were not the most comfortable or roomy, but I appreciated their aesthetic touch. We had to keep rearranging the side tables so we could fit our drinks and had to really squint to read the menu, but it was all part of the atmosphere. We started with the Ethiopian tea, which was reminiscent of a lightly spiced Chai. With a little milk and honey, I could have drank the whole pot. We did the Omnivore Dinner for two, and it was enough to feed me and my two friends. With a chicken, lamb and beef for our main entrees, we added the yellow split peas, beet salad and green beans to balance the meal. The meat dishes were a bit hard to pick away from the bone, especially when all you have is your fingers, so be sure everyone in your party washes up pre-feast. Service is adequate, and the food is a nice change from your familiar cuisines. Great place for a date.
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Review from Wendy G.
Chicago, IL
1/6/2012
This is by far my favorite Ethiopian place in the city. I usually go.here with a vegan friend and we like to change up the veggie dishes we get each time, because we like them all. Oh, and try the house honey wine- yum!
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Review from Pamela P.
7/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I think I've come to realize that Ethiopian food and me don't mix.
This place was dark, sultry, perhaps a bit dusty in some areas. The waitress wasn't that helpful in giving recommendations for first timers to this restaurant. In fact, after we changed our mind on one of the chicken dishes, she talked us into ordering our first choice because she felt it wasn't that spicy. Well, it was.
Also, the various different side dishes and the veggie sampler really isn't enough for a filling meal. It's as if you went to Whole foods and took a bit of each different salad and just threw it on spongy, tasteless bread. The chicken dish, in all its spiciness, had bones in it and when we asked for cutlery to get into that fowl, we got the stare of death. No cutlery there--you're supposed to eat it with your hands and that darned spongy bread.
The iced tea was overpowering and the spices were so thick and soupy-like that it wasn't at all a smooth drink. Not your typical iced tea and I would have liked to know that before I ordered it.....
Not quite sure about all these great reviews....I guess it's all an acquired taste. But if you don't like that spongy bread, stay away! -
Review from Keely J.
Chicago, IL
11/16/2011
In terms of service and quality of food, there is really no need to go anywhere else. The staff is extremely friendly and always happy and accommodating. The food is delicious, and I find it to be far better than any of the other Ethiopian restaurants on the Broadway stretch. They also have a great selection of beers and wine.
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Review from Andy M.
4/11/2011
After my first sampling of Ethiopian food, the verdict is in. I loved it!!!! The meat, the sauces and the bread were all wonderful. I'm generally not a big fan of communal food. My rules of dining are simple. If you try to touch anything on my plate, expect to be stabbed with a fork. It took a few minutes for me to get used to having all of our food on the same pizza-pan sized dish. Once I tasted the delicious offerings that were laid before me, I was fine with it.
Ethiopian food is all about the wonderful sauces that are used. To be honest, I can't remember what kind of meat I ordered, all I remember is the savory sauce and delicious bread it was served on. And to top it all off, the Ethio Chai tea we ordered was the best tea I ever tasted. We went through two pots in world record time.
The bottom line on Ras Dashen is a tasty one. Delicious food served in a cozy setting makes this place a must for the adventurous eater. The quality of the food and delicious spices will blow your mind. I'm now officially a huge fan of Ethiopian food. Chalk up another victory to my wonderful wife for helping me broaden my food horizons. -
Review from Carolynne M.
Chicago, IL
4/6/2011 ROTD 10/18/2011
Here's the problem with Ras Dashen. If you have never been, you might want to take extra consideration when planning an evening here. Because what is going to happen is that after you leave, you are going to keep thinking about the food...er, more like obsessing about it. To the point where is is going to either drive you absolutely crazy, or you will turn into some creepy stalker who drives by the place at all hours of the night and presses his face up onto the front window just to say he got to touch it. Do you want to be that guy? Yeah....oh you do? Well, OK then, but don't say I didn't warn you.
In fact, I am gonna do you one better and tell you some things to look out for when you go. First up the Ethio Chai tea. Easily the most awesome, flavourful tea I have had in a long time. So good we ordered 2 pots and polished them both off in record time. You don't even need milk or sugar! It is that good.
Now, you are going to order your platter. Remember to come here with people whose cleanliness habits you know and trust, because this is about to get messy. You are going to want to pick 3 sides. We chose the Komodoro salata (diced cucumber, tomato, onion and jalapeño salad), the Ib (soft cheese made fresh daily with cultured buttermilk), and the Misser wat (pureed red lentils in a spicy berbere sauce). Everyone then picks an entree. Andy picked the Sega wat (beef stew in a spicy, dark berbere sauce) and I went with the Doro Wat, which is similar to the Sega Wat, but it is made with chicken and egg. All of this is served on one big platter, with a basket of injera bread (sort of a spongy flatbread). You use the injera to scoop up all of these items and stuff them into your little impatient mouth. At the end, everything just sort of runs together and is fantastically delicious.
Oh right, also don't bother to come here if you are one of those people who cant have foods on the plate touching one another. You won't get far if you are OCD in any way. Hey, just putting it out there folks. You are going to have enough to freak out about when you catch me drooling onto the front window.Listed in: Around the World in 80 Bites, My ROTD list
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Review from Temple S.
Chicago, IL
11/20/2011
Abyssinia, which is next door to Ras Dashen has better food. I give Abyssinia 5 stars for the food. Our waiter was very nice, but the service was a bit slow. Hence minus the one star.
We had been to Ras Dashen right next door. The food there is very good, but nothing unique. Additionally, the service there was VERY slow and the bartender was very bad. He kept us sitting for 10 minutes before even acknowledging us and then was very snooty.
My husband and I have eaten now eaten at every Ethiopian restaurant in the Chicago area as well as many in other cities. Abyssinia has the best food. There are dishes on the menu that I have not seen in other Ethiopian restaurants, like butternut squash and swiss chard (both amazing). Additionally, the lamb dish was an entirely different preparation than what I had experienced with other Ethiopian restaurant. It was prepared with Rosemary and did not have a sauce on it. Absolutely outstanding!!!
We got the sampler platter for one and two vegetarian dishes. More than enough for 2 people. They have a very limited bar - just bourbon, vodka, etc. on the rocks.
Abyssinia is owned by a married couple. The husband takes care of front of house while his wife cooks in the back. This may by why the food takes a bit, but it is well worth the wait. Also, their sitter backed out on them last minute and their 3 young children were in the kitchen while mom was trying to cook. Might be another reason why the food took awhile. That's okay, though. We will be back and I don't see us going to another Ethiopian restaurant in the city. Abyssinia is the best by FAR! -
Review from Shh K.
Chicago, IL
8/30/2011
I crave this restaurant ALL THE TIME. Hands down, favorite!
After seeing a groupon for another Ethiopian restaurant in town, we decided to stray and give it a shot, but Rash Dashen reamins far superior. Their coffee, is heavenly... The Dora Wat is amazing, spicy and oh shoot! I'm craving it again! They even offer gluten free injera. This is our go to place to take out of town guests and it's never too crowded. Which honestly, it should be! -
Review from Heidi N.
Chicago, IL
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
After my first foray into Ethiopian dining, I can now cross "eat communal food with my fingers" off the bucket list. The boyfriend, some friends and I went to Ras Dashen for dinner last night, and it was a brand new experience for me. Not knowing at all what to order, I let the more experienced eaters in the group do the ordering for the table. One of our number was a vegetarian, so we decided on an all vegetarian meal, so we could share equally. And let me put it this way - nobody left hungry.
For 5 people, we ordered 4 entrees and 3 sides, and we peobably would have been satisfied with only 3 entrees, to be honest. We got the Diffen Misser Wat, the Komodoro Fetfet, the Shirro, and the Vegetarian Special of the day, which was something similar in texture to the Diffen Misser Wat. My favorite by far was the Shirro. I wanted to slurp it all up all by myself, it was that good. I was a little confused by the presence of injera (the spongy bread) in the Komodoro Fetfet, because with the already injera-heavy meal, I would think the vegetables would be more prominently featured. For our sides, we ordered the Yeqaysur Salata, the Diblik Atkilt, and the Ib. All 3 were delicious. I particularly liked the texture of the Ib. For the less adventurous among us, the Yeqaysur Salata (beet salad) had very familiar flavors to an American palate.
One note about the injera bread - it is sour. I was told this going in, that a lot of people don't enjoy the taste of the bread, so I knew what to expect. But I think I may be one of those who don't enjoy it as much. I didn't hate it, just didn't love it. It has a very strong sour flavor that, since you're literally using it as your utensil, is in every bite you take. I was hoping for a way to enjoy the stews and sides without the injera, but I didn't want to offend anyone by asking for silverware. :) Maybe in the future, Ethiopian cuisine will be more of a take-out option for me. -
Review from Jessica G.
Chicago, IL
7/1/2011
Hands down one of my favorite Chicago eateries. I always get the veg combo and then go crazy. I can never ever get enough of their sweet and sour cabbage. And their homemade cheese....can't handle.
Dining in is great but takeout is where it is at. I love their to go containers...every item is perfectly separated. And they load you up with tons of steamy injera. Come home, make your spread, lay out on the couch, and eat it all up like an Ethiopian queen. Magic. -
Review from clare d.
Chicago, IL
5/23/2011
Incredibly accommodating of large parties, I had 25 with just a few days notice. It was a weekday, granted, and I'm sure some of my party would have had several more beers if they'd been checked on more often, but in the long run, was that really important? No. The important thing was that my birthday party was totally amazing and everyone will remember what an outstanding meal they had, and how great the company was, and how Ras Dashen is the best Ethiopian Restaurant in American.
A note on the price: If you are vegetarian you can eat here, very well, -
Review from Jessica D.
Aurora, IL
5/7/2011
I finally got to eat Ethiopian!! And we loved it!
Came in Friday night at around 10 pm. Wonderful little Ethiopian restaurant which is deceptively big inside. Wonderfully appointed in earth tones and with gorgeous African paintings.
My favorite was the two angels sharing some injera over a traditional ethiopian table.
Well attended by all sorts of folks. Excellent trancey jazz band arrived one at a time and joined in to the others as they were already playing.
You can be seated at a traditional ethiopian table with four chairs and two, small side tables or a traditional full table that seats four or more.
The food is alive with flavor: spices, great base ingredients, and delicious gravies/sauces.
You select three side dishes per table and then pick your entrees. You typically order an entree per person at the table but share since it's served in a communal aluminum tray. You get an injera flat bread under your food and extra injera (two come with every entree) or $1 per any additional.
We ordered for our sides: Diblik atkilt (mixed veggies), Kik alicha (yellow peas paste), and Yeqay tikil gomen (sweet and sour purple cabbage). For our entrees we ordered vegetarian mushroom wat and asa tibs (pepper/ginger tilapia filet with veggies). For dessert we shared an ethiopian bread pudding (made with injera so it's a little sour).
I had the ethio chai which is a spiced black tea that comes with a sugar bowl and spoon to help yourself. No dairy. Awesomeness. He had the ethiopian beer. Make that two.
Delicious dinner that was memorable and relaxing, in all the right ways and more!
Tip: wash your hands before dinner and after dinner at either the two, private ladies restrooms (or the gents restroom I guess) or the separate hand-washing area. Totally well maintained facilities.
We will be back! Often I hope!
