Messob

How have I never reviewed Messob?! This is my go to restaurant for Ethiopian food. First off it's so incredibly good and second...they have vegan options. I know there's a restaurant right next door that's fully vegan but my husband isn't vegan so I try and throw in restaurants that offer both when we go out. The ambiance is cozy and inviting with dark wood furniture, cushions, warm lighting, artwork and decor.The service has always been great. They're very on top of it as far watching to see if you're done reading the menu or if there's anything you might need during your meal. We usually order the samosas which are vegan friendly and I get the vegetarian platter. It's named vegetarian but it's all vegan. The platter is a combination of all their vegan dishes....lentils, carrots, potato and cabbage all served on top of injera bread. They also give you a basket of injera bread and if you need more all you need to do is ask. But it's the most delicious flavors and very filling and satisfying. They also offer beer, wine and honey wine. Parking is fairly easy on this part of Fairfax. If you haven't been I would say to definitely check them out. We usually take out of town friends and family here and they just love it.

This was my first time having Ethiopian food and though I think the food was good and I had a great time with my friends, I'm not quite sure it was a 5 star experience. I can't quite figure out why but I'll give a few more details. I went on a Wednesday night for a birthday dinner, not too crowded but a good chunk of tables were full for midweek. We had a reservation since we were a party of 6 so no issues there. The table we were given was very cool. It was a lower table with chairs at compatible heights which, though not super comfortable, allowed for us to reach the food comfortably. The service was good, they were very accommodating.We ordered a large vegetarian platter and then two meats - chicken breast which was chopped up into chunks with various spices and the tibs which was a beef dish. Everything tasted good, but I was a bit underwhelmed. I guess I just expected a different flavor profile or more spice and was just a bit let down. I also wasn't a big fan of the bread they provided (it's a texture thing), but despite this it was overall a decent dining experience.I'm giving 4 stars because though I really can't pinpoint any significant complaints, I don't believe it was as good an experience as some or the others I've had. Hope to try again in the future.

Very cozy and welcoming restaurant. The aroma is amazing, you can smell the fresh herbs and spices as soon as you enter the restaurant. The Ethiopian theme is also through and through, from the design, to the setting to the people (both guests and servers). A very authentic spot. I will say, Ethiopian food is an acquired taste and it will not be for everyone. There will be things that you have no idea what it is, but it's definitely worth the experience. I would recommend getting the platter, try a bit of everything. Oh and the honey wine is out of this world. Amazing!

So I have been coming here for a while and I forgot that I have not left a review yet. This is the best Ethiopian food that you will get. As soon as you walk in you are greeted with a beautiful Aroma of spices. From the friendly staff to the amazing food, you will definitely leave happy.Oh and if you drink wine do yourself a favor and get their honey wine it is amazing

A lovely little spot. Nice and friendly service. The food was so delicious I didn't take a photo but we got the combination lunch specials, Vegetarian and Meat. Great option to be able to try everything.

This was our second time trying Ethiopian food and it was very good overall. We specifically went to Messob on the recommendation of a friend from Ethiopia. We had the Vegetarian Combination plate, which comes with 4 different vegetable dishes and a very small amount of salad. We also had the ZelZel Tibs, which is beef, onion and other spices. The vegetables all had their own spice taste goodness and a few are mildly spicy. The beef dish was our favorite, perhaps because it was more of one type of food than the sampler dish gave us, but we ate it all. Some extremely unique to Ethiopian food is their fermented bread. It's flavor is a little like sourdough bread, but it's very soft and served in sheets. The bread is used for scooping and eating the food that's all served on one large plate. The service here isn't as prompt as may other restaurants, but I think that's owing to the more laid back and relaxed vibe here. We dined at their "traditional" table type in the pictures, which is a large basket type table (hard to explain, see photos). these tables are made for 2 people sitting across from each other. The ambiance was semi dark-ish with lots of authentic looking art on the walls and interesting light fixtures. This totally contributes to the vibe of the restaurant. One star downgrade because the vegetarian dish had VERY small portions, some only big enough for 2 people to try one bite. It was not worth the $26. The Beef dish was also $26 but you get a decent portion. And of course there's the bread that comes with the dish, which may contribute to the costs.This part of LA is called Little Ethiopia, because there seems to be a few dozen Ethiopian restaurants all lined up next to each other. Makes me wonder what sets them apart from each other, but that's for another time.

Our Rotary Club in Calabasas every few months as well as our peace committee enjoy a cultural awareness led by a member of the Club so we can learn about their culture and country of birth. On Sunday we were treated by our newest members, Wintana and Kyle to a dinner at the Ethiopian restaurant Messob in Little Ethiopia on Fairfax. Wintana left Ethiopia (and whose family is also Eritrean) 4 years ago where she was a Youth Ambassador to the United Nations for Ethiopia. Wintana and Kyle were married in Ethiopia although Kyle is from Illinois and they both were wearing traditional Ethiopian clothing. I was the only person of 7 other than Wintana and Kyle who had eaten Ethiopian food. Wintana ordered 2 platters, one of meats, one vegetarian along with an Ethiopian special dish and a Sambusa with honey wine to drink. Messob is one of 4 Ethiopian restaurants in 2017 in Little Ethiopia to finally offer Gluten Free Injera, the flat, sour dough like, crepe like, blanket like bread that the stews and vegetables sit on and what you use to gather up all different combinations of your food so each bite tastes differently. I ordered a combination plate with Gluten Free Injera that had beef, chicken and lamb with collard greens and salad. Kyle explained that there are different kinds of Teff and that my GF Injera was slightly more sour with a little tanginess. All the newbies really loved the food.The food was delicious and Wintana spoke for 2 1/2 hours during our meal about Ethiopia and Eritrea, all the languages, religions and about the sadness of the civil war as she had family on both sides of the war. I got to have a great conversation about Astor Aweke and Wintana told us that Aweke had to hide when she performed initially until she became a big star being a woman, as well as discussions about Emperor Haile Sellasie and Rastafarianism/Bob Marley (who wanted to be buried in Ethiopia but Rita would not do so). Food tells you a lot about a culture and we were so fortunate to enjoy this great cuisine while learning so much about Ethiopia/Eritrea and their prominent role in the history of Africa.

Boy oh boy I've found my go to Ethiopian restaurant! I haven't been to Little Ethiopia in a hot second, but I'm so glad I came here with my friends because not only does this area have outdoor seating, they have great food. I think they're a little shortstaffed on the weekdays since there were many people who came in, but not as many servers.Otherwise, the food was absolutely delicious and that iced tea got hit the spot, especially when I was feeling a little warm after eating and being out in the sun earlier in the day. I definitely recommend the vegan vegetarian special coupled with the lamb and the fried fish! Something for everyone!

My friend and I came here for dinner on a Wednesday night and had a very good experience. We didn't have a reservation but were seated immediately around 6 pm. The restaurant had a lot of diners in at this time. The ambiance is very charming, with traditional Ethiopian art and hangings on the wall, as well as some low tables scattered throughout the restaurant. They had a good variety of meat and vegetarian dishes on the menu. My friend got one of the meat dishes and I got a vegetarian lentil dish. We both thoroughly enjoyed the food, which was bursting with flavor and felt somewhat healthy. Service was friendly and efficient. I would recommend this place and plan on returning.

My wife and I had a lovely date night at an Ethiopian restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious, and the atmosphere was super cozy and comfortable. We went early, around 6 pm, and it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. It was my wife's first time at an Ethiopian restaurant, and Messob really made a good impression on her!