Sheba Cafe
5403 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60640 (773) 878-2352
- Nearest Transit:
Berwyn (Red)
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: None
81 reviews
Neighborhood: Edgewater
"YUM - my boyfriend has been telling me about this place for months so when the mood finally struck us to get Ethiopian food, we just had to…" read more »
15 Reviews for Sheba Cafe
It looks almost as if they are still open. There is no note visible on the door, but they never seem to actually be open and their phone is disconnected. It's kind of a disappointment.
Boooooo Sheba Cafe!
With a yen for some wat and a BYO bottle in my bag, we showed up at 7 on a Friday night. The place was closed without any explanation. Another reviewer had the same experience a couple weeks before -- maybe it is closed for good now?
However, we did continue to walk a few blocks north on Broadway to Ras Dashen. Had a delicious meal with great service. They have a full bar, but when I sheepishly said I had a bottle of wine in my bag, they said that it was a $5 BYO charge and served us our wine with a smile. After that great meal, I was glad that Sheba was closed.
Bottom line: IS Sheba closed permanently or do they have crazy-erratic business hours? Either way, you have at least 1 better Ethiopian option in Edgewater.
Scccccccrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeewwwwwww you, Sheba.
For many weeks my husband and I had been planning our big Ethiopian dinner. I'd never had it, he loves it but hasn't had it in years. In short, we were damn excited.
We even had a coupon for $10 off that we scored for $1 on restuarant.com. Add in the byo factor, and we were looking forward to one tasty, cheap meal.
I called to make sure they were open and was assured by the answering machine that they open at 4. Yet we we showed up at 7, the place was shuttered and dark. No sign, no explanation, no cheap, tasty ethiopian food for me.
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So.. I went to Sheba once with a date, loved it, decided that I wanted to go back sometime soon with a big group of people so that they could experience the goodness that is Ethiopian food.
So I went back a few weeks later with a group of about 20 people. They were definitely under-prepared ( I DID call ahead, but I don't think they check their messages.. ever ) but made the best of it.
There is usually no one in there and the little cute waitress is all by herself. I am so pleased by how she and the chef(s?) handled our large group which consumed copious amounts of BYOB. The food is so good and the service is great too. I'm a vegetarian and there is plenty of stuff there for me to devour!
Thanks for the great birthday experience, Sheba Cafe!!
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The food has been great the 2 times I've been here..As far as the restaurant, both times were kind of odd. Both times we ate here we were the only people in the restauant which I was suprised about since both times it was a Friday night, the food is good, and it's BYOB. I think that there is some sort of secret business that goes on in the back...Several people came in and went straight to tthe kitchen in a way that made me think twice about it..The second time I ate here, it was in the middle of winter, and the heater wasn't working, so they had 1 space heater that they put as close to our table as possible, and I was still shivering. It was also very dark inside, they only had half of the restaurant lit...maybe they think green? Another downside was the wait for the food...we were the only 2 people in the restaurant both times, so it shouldn't take a half hour for the food to come out...I know this may seem like a bad review, so you're probably wondering why 4 stars? Well the food was really good both time, prices are fair, and the odd things that went on gave me something to laugh about in the end.
Yum! Yum! Yum!
And the little waitress is so cute!
This food makes me giddy. I think all the good enzymes go straight to my head. The price can't be beat, either.
Get the special spiced tea, it's a real treat.
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This may be one of my favorites for pure value-although the decor leaves something to be desired, unless you appreciate air-brushed paintings. The only other downer is that I have found schedule to be quite erratic- after making the trek all the way up north, I cannot count on them to be open.
My favorites are the beg wat (spicy lamb) and beg tibs. The stuff's served in little piles on the ingira (the spongy bread that you eat everything with). Vegetarian options also abound, and this place is both dirt cheap and byo. Pick up some wine at the local jewel and have a blast, and I dare you to try and spend over $12/ person.
Oh- and call ahead, even on a Friday or Satrurday night. The hours that this place keeps defy logic.
As much as I like another Ethiopian restaurant in the neighborhood that I've already reviewed, for some reason I had never come around to Sheba Cafe. Well, one reason was that I wasn't quite sure it was actually a restaurant, as it seemed quite bereft of people dining the times when I've passed by. I thought it was more of an actual cafe or hang out spot with live music. I think that's probably true as well, since they are open pretty late most nights. But I decided to give this place a try based on the positive reviews here on Yelp, and because I'm currently quite sick of Thai food.
When I ate here, at about 7:30 on a Tuesday, our group of two was the only one in the place, and we were treated fairly well, although that doesn't mean it was quick. All together it took about an hour and half from when we ordered until the time we paid, and the latter was prompted by us. We may have stayed a very long time had we not initiated the payment process. I say this not to scare away potential diners, but to set realistic expectations. It's just not the kind of place that seems to want to turn over tables at set intervals.
We decided to try every available vegetarian dish in the form of two combination plates. What immediately struck me was how much less oily the food is here than at another Ethiopian restaurant I've been to. At the same time, the herbs and spices of the stews are a lot more prominent, and just as hot, when appropriate. And some things I don't care for at other places, like the tikil gomen (cabbage, carrot, and potato stew), are very tasty here. Their misir watt (red lentils) is excellent, and I think everyone needs to try it if they come here. The menu includes a lot of other things I haven't seen on other Ethiopian restaurant menus, including some inexpensive appetizers and other things we didn't get around to tasting this time around.
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Ok here are some insider tips to get the best out of Sheba.
1. BYOB. While you might miss out on the delicious honey wine that you normally get at ethopian restaurants, you're also saving some chachangchang (aka moolah)
2. BYO appetite. You may not think you're ordering a lot or getting a lot but you will be stuffed. I recently tried the steak tartar (kitfo) and loved it. Even tho it's raw it's unexpectedly delicious. My favorite veggies are the spinach, collard greens, split peas, red lentils, and cabbage/carrot/potatoes. the doro tibs and siga tibs are to die for. It's very vegetarian/vegan friendly so carnivore and herbivore both can co-exist peacefully.
3. Ask for the coffee ceremony. It's a nice tradition and a good digestive at the end of the meal. They roast and grind the coffee fresh, just minutes before they prepare it. No starbucks grounds here.
Service is slow but sometimes it's nice to just relax and have a long meal with your friends. It's a small place. So your meal will take a minute to prepare. That's when the byob comes in handy. Oh yeah and wear stretchy pants.
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For my birthday, my roommates decided to take me out to dinner, and I decided it was communal food time! Also, I wanted to try a new place I hadn't been to before, and I lucked out with Sheba Cafe.
We showed up to Sheba at about 9 PM, since I didn't get out of class until 8. There was one other person in the place eating. The place was sparsely decorated, but it appeared to be open, so we chose a table and sat down. The server got us menus, and took our drink orders. The only thing that we had a problem with the whole time was how dark it was in there! Sort of cave like in a way, with overhead lighting only on one side of the restaurant, and a little drafty - but I had chosen the place for the food, and I had high hopes.
We started out with the Gomen Rolls, only to be told that they didn't have any cabbage for them; however, the server returned and told us the chef could make them with spinach if we were ok with that. Despite the change, the rolls were delicious!
We ordered two sets of samplers to eat between three of us -- they were out of one of the chicken dishes, I think the doro tibs. Almost everything they brought out was amazingly delicious. The red lentil dish ( I believe it is Misser Wat) is AMAZING, and their Tikil Gomen, SO good! There was some chickpea dish, I think another wat like Shimbera asa, it was really great too. Unexpected on the menu was a green bean dish (the name escapes me) but I HIGHLY recommend it - I haven't seen it at other Ethiopian restaurants, but it was AWESOME. None of us are vegetarians, but we enjoyed the vegetarian dishes actually more than the meat dishes, amazingly enough. Not to say the the Yebeg Wat wasn't good -- it was definitely was. The only thing we didn't really enjoy on the platter was the chicken dish we ordered -- something about the seasoning. Even the salad in the middle that the platter came with was awesome, the dressing light yet flavorful, and the vegetables fresh. The injera all around was good quality.
At the end of our meal, the chef came out of the kitchen and apologized for not having the doro tibs that day, and asked how the Gomen rolls were with spinach. And he was authentic when he asked, not just as a token gesture, but like he took pride in what he had made and served to us. And we authentically enjoyed his food. What was even more enjoyable ended up being the tab -- honestly, we had gorged ourselves in celebration of my 24th birthday, and even though I wasn't paying, my peaking revealed a tab that was, in real dollars, amazingly low. We tipped high, but still, it was well worth what we paid and very tasty.
One thing I noticed about this food was that it didn't have that overly greasy texture the other Ethiopian cuisine has had, which I like. By the end of our meal, we were all thoroughly stuffed as we made our way back southwest to our Ukrainian Village homestead.
The decor may be sparse, and the walls a little ugly underneath what beautiful artwork there is, but it keeps the prices low, and the food what I believe to be authentic. I wholeheartedly recommend this place -- support your local entrepreneurs!
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Our first Ethiopian restaurant. Was a wonderfully unique experience to eat communally, sharing the entrees in one large serving dish in center of table. No silveware. You eat the entrees by scooping it up with the special Ethiopian spongie bread called Injera. Fresh and tasty food. Both meat and veggie served. As others have said about most Ethiopian restuarants, service can be slow. But very friendly and accomodating. Embarrasingly cheap. Had a Entertainment Coupon, but didn't have the heart to use it -- especially because there was only one other couple dining there with us. Surprising it is not more popular. Also, BYOB!
UPDATE 6/23/07 -- Place appears to be CLOSED???
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Wow. I can not believe how empty this place was when I and my friends visited this spot one Saturday night. This place has such amazing Ethiopian food, and everything we ordered was GONE at the end of the meal. Try the Gomen rolls! Not only that, but the server/owner made us Ethiopian coffee from scratch, including roasting the coffee beans in a skillet and parading them around our table. Yummmmmmmm! The coffee was served with an authentic incense ceremony, which is very unique to see in this country (but is customary in Ethiopia). The entire bill, for A LOT of food and a wonderful coffee ceremony, was about $35 for 3 people. This place is a gem, and I really hope other people venture up north to try it. It is also really easy to get to, as it is just off the Red Line. It was truly a fun and enjoyable experience.
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I love Sheba Cafe! While the decor is a bit uninspired (although they do have some interesting paintings by local Ethiopian artists), the food is fresh, fairly priced and TOTALLY delicious! The service is gracious, although a bit slow. This doesn't really bother me, as I've always viewed Ethiopian food as the perfect share, eat and socialize cuisine! I've always loved Ethiopian Diamond, but, in my opinon, Sheba Cafe gives them a run for their money. It's also BYOB, but there's a Jewel half a block away that will provide you with whatever libations you're craving. Definitely give Sheba Cafe a try!!
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While the competition for the best Ethiopian food in Edgewater is pretty stiff, Sheba Cafe delivers with excellent injera (the best on Broadway, I think), unimpeachable vegetarian offerings, and very fair prices. Our meal tonight included two entrees, a side dish, salad and tea, came to around $20 before tip, and left us both more than satisfied and with lunch for tomorrow. We noticed several items on the menu we hadn't seen offered elsewhere in the neighborhood, and ended up ordering two: Shirro, a soupy chickpea dish, and Foull, cooked fava beans with fresh peppers and tomatoes (vegans, be sure to ask for it without cheese, which isn't listed as an ingredient on the menu). Their Misser Wat is different from the other Broadway establishments' versions--less saucy and highly recommended. The service was gracious if a little slow, but we appreciated not being rushed: the dining room was quiet enough for easy conversation, and we couldn't help but admire the totally psychedelic turquoise and cadmium paintings hanging on every wall. We had a great experience at Sheba Cafe, and we'll definitely be back.
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I'm a junkie for Ethiopian food, so I was excited when my date suggested an Ethiopian place we hadn't yet tried: the Sheba Cafe on Broadway. I wasn't disappointed--the prices are low, the portions are HUGE and the food is delicious. Sheba has a lot to offer for vegans and vegetarians, including some interesting dishes I'd never before seen on an Ethiopian menu (though vegans should take care to ask for their meals without cheese). Unfortunately for those of us who are partial to African beer, Sheba seems to be a BYO, but who needs alcohol when you can have endless free refills of spiced black tea? While I'm still an Ethiopian Diamond devotee (I'm addicted to the shimbra assa!), I definitely recommend the Sheba Cafe, especially if you're on a budget. It makes me sad that this place doesn't seem to attract as much business as its larger competitors further north on Broadway. Hopefully this review will do something to remedy that!
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