Asmara Restaurant

I don't usually crave Ethiopian food but I'm glad my friends suggested this place for our get-together because it was phenomenal!Rating Breakdown:2/2 Stars for Taste --We ordered the veggie and meat sampler to try a little bit of everything, as well as the gored gored (rare beef), assa tibs (catfish), and lega tibs (beef). My favorite dish was the catfish, which I've never seen at an Ethiopian restaurant before. It was so succulent and well seasoned, I could have just eaten that and been a happy camper. The lega tibs was a close second, the beef was very tender and juicy, the jalapenos were more aromatic than spicy. I could only nibble the gored gored (pregnant) but I can't wait until I pop these babies out so I can eat more of it. The veggie and meat samplers were good but honestly they all blended together in my mind and nothing in particular stood out. We had a carafe of honey wine for the table which my husband really enjoyed. 1/1 Stars for Value --Each entree was about $20 and they do not skimp on portion size. Ordering 1 entree per person is probably enough, but you can't go wrong with ordering party size +1. I only wish the injera was unlimited because it did feel like we had to ration them a little bit even though one of our party ordered rice. 1/1 Stars for Customer Service --We made reservations because we were a party of 6 but I think we could have gotten by without on a Tuesday night. The servers were super nice and helpful with their recommendations. The food can be served family style on a giant platter. They even helped rearrange our tables/seating so that we could gather around and reach the platter. The food did take a little while to come out but I think it's because the restaurant filled up all at once so they had a bit of a backlog.Bonus star because I'll definitely be back for the catfish. Also, I need to come back postpartum so I can enjoy the full experience!

The food and service here were amazing!Our waiter was super friendly and gave us great recommendations! We got the chicken and fish ribs and subbed in the typical salad and potatoes for the red lentils and mustard greens.The red lentils might've been my favorite dish. It was flavorful and delicious and nicely spiced. The mustard greens were super delicious too! The fish tibs were really succulent and tender and the onion and garlic sauce was really tasty. The chicken tibs were really yummy too, we just wished it was slightly less oily but overall the flavor was incredible!Everything was served with injera and it was tangy and yummy! I just wished the injera was served a little warmer.Loved our experience and would come back to try more!

Heard amazing reviews about Asmara and I understand now!We got the veggie and meat platters which were both delicious. Beautifully decorated and our server was very sweet.

Went to Asmara yesterday with a buddy and ended up getting a medley of dishes. We went with the veggie sampler, fish tibs, and mushrooms. The food had solid spices and our final plate ended up being very bountiful. Their injera was also soft with a good texture. The servers regularly came by to check on us and top off our injera plate. The vibe in there is cozy. I went on a Friday evening and it was the busiest I had ever seen them. I'd recommend checking them out if you're in the area and looking for Ethiopian food!

My favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Berkeley. We go here every few months when craving for an Ethiopian food. We like the food and its ambiance. The service is pretty quick. I love their honey wine after a great meal. Enjoy!

It was quiet when we came, with a little bit of construction going on but that doesn't really bother us. The restaurant setup was nice, everybody has their own space and there's a little traditional setup where you can sit and feel like you're somewhere else. So cute. I've only had ethiophian food once before this, and it wasn't great experience so I decided to give it another try. I can safely say that Asmara restaurant deliver perfectly. The spices are on point, the meat is tender, and injera has perfect fluffiness that you can use to pick up the food. I like the beef and lamb better than chicken, and the beef was perfectly spicy, I love it!

Incredible food, service, and ambience. The food is so delicious with the injara. You can't go wrong with any of the vegetable items including mushrooms, shiro (chickpeas), mustard greens, and the fish and chicken are also amazing. Even the steamed carrots and potatoes pack a lot of flavor. I really enjoyed the soothing Ethiopian spiced tea. The decor is lovely and really reflects a beautifully rich heritage. An amazing dining experience. Highly recommend!

I've been back a few times and have decided Asmara is the best Ethiopian spot in Oakland! I've been to a few other well-regarded spots, but the flavors, quality, portions, and service are better at Asmara. You must get the catfish- it's so good!! 3 of us killed 4 dishes. But we eat a lot...

The streak of great food and service continues. This is our go to place for Ethiopian in the Oakland Berkeley area. You can tell it's authentic and delicious because most of the customers were Ethiopian. This time around we ordered: - two plates of doro wot -- amazing and deep flavors each of which comes with two drumsticks and an egg. - cat fish -- simply outstanding and not typical of many Ethiopian restaurants. - Yebeg Aliciha -- mild curried lamb. Very mild but delicious nonetheless. - Veggie combo with an extra misirwet (red lentils). All of the veggies were excellent. - lega tibs, beef tibs with jalapeños and onions. It was very mild, but still quite tasty. - gored gored (almost raw beef). It was very soft and tender and extremely tasty.

Have enjoyed Asmara for many years. Nice vibe and the food is very tasty. The interior has a vibrant atmosphere with pictures and seating style. Their tea is one of my favs plus the honey wine. I strongly recommend you trying out this restaurant and see for yourself.