Abay Ethiopian Market & Restaurant

Authentic, local spot with amazing food. Great customer service. No frills. If you know and love the Ethiopian culture, you will not be disappointed.

Took our dad here for his birthday tonight and it was a pleasant surprise. Behind a small market is this small intimate restaurant. This may look like a hole in the wall but the food is absolutely delicious. It is very authentic and although there was some language barrier, everyone in there was so friendly, helpful, and kind. We were recommended their beef special and gave us honey wine to share. Everything came out so fast and so fresh. If you want authentic Ethiopian food with some locals and Ethiopian music videos playing in the background, I recommend for a casual group meal!

Not fancy by any means. 4 tables down a long narrow corridor, lots of cold drinks and produce in the glass coolers. Lots of dry ingredients and foods on the shelf. We started off with one veggie combo and a Ye Dero Wot (chicken). They are out of salad, okay. Ordered a second veggie platter only after downing most of the first platter. $37.69.All of the dishes are different from our favorite restaurant back at home, but still good. The chicken is an single egg and a single drum, hard to share. It was a bit of a challenge for us both to share and not end up eating most of the drum. I do prefer the pieces of chicken as it makes it easier to share or even having two smaller drums. The egg yolk almost looks like a 1k egg inside. I had to tell my husband it was probably okay to eat. The salad is a tomato and Jalapeño mix with a vinaigrette. It might be good to close the doors, there are a lot of flies coming in and settling on the food platter. Thankfully we are done with our meal. The staff interaction is very minimal here, but you manage to get your order in, food out and pay at the counter and you are out the door. Their prices are quite reasonable here for what you get.

Hole in the wall joint for best Ethiopian food in San Diego! Food:My fav was the Ye-Siga Wot (Beef), followed by the Assa Cotelet (fish). Apparently the roasted short ribs are bomb but they weren't in stock that day. The Kitfo was a spicy raw beef dish, that later didn't agree with my stomach. But others in my party enjoyed. We also had the vegetarian combo with was a nice foil to all the protein dishes. The included Injera bread was AMAZING! No utensils needed just break off a piece and start scooping! They also have an interesting type of wine that is served in a cool glass decanter. Service: The owner (name starts with an H) is sooo nice and friendly and wanted to meet everyone and learn our bames. The other few staff were very nice when we asked for more napkins and they ran out they brought us an entire paper towel roll. As for ambiance, this isn't quite the place for that....It's set up like a staff break room and it's in the back of a bare shelve convenience/ cigarette shop. When we went there were boxes everywhere. I think it's funny actually because in a way this is like a true "speakeasy" rather than the trendy replication of such. Thoroughly enjoyed and had a cozy food coma after! :)

Tasty food and reasonable prices. The injera was delicious. The vegan platter was tasty with good sized portions.

I came across this after my usual spot was closed. The staff was super sweet and very friendly. This is hidden in the back and does not offer a lot of seating options as I think most do to go. They food was delicious and they offer decent portions. I will definitely be back

Had a great dinner at Abay! The food was amazing...had the Special T'ibs (beef), Ye-Dero Wot (chicken) and the Vegetarian combo. It was served all together, family-style over a large portion of injera. Delicious!Also tried the honey wine (served in a unique, traditional drinking vessel), it was a nice accompaniment to the meal.Owner was very gracious and friendly. Newcomers to Ethiopian cuisine need not worry - he was more than willing to explain each dish. We really enjoyed our meal here and highly recommend this place!

Such incredible food, oh my goodness! A true hidden gem in San Diego. Very kind staff, very much family owned and operated kind of vibe. It's not a place you go for ambiance, it's one of those super authentic hope in the wall kind of spots. Will definitely be back!!

Food is amazing! Great tasting and loaded with flavor. Service was friendly and fantastic.

This is the best Ethiopian food I've had in San Diego. Very fresh, flavorful, and good portions. The staff is very friendly. It's a little lacking in ambiance or really any interior decor, but the food is worth it.