Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen

This place is great! Came here on a Friday night around 7pm, and had no problem ordering/ finding a table. They only have outdoor seating, so keep that in mind!For food we got the chicken tibs and then the meat combination. I really liked the chicken tibs- was saucy and flavorful! The meat combination was also great - the lamb and beef were both equally good as well. Make sure you order injera on the side to scoop everything up!For the veggies - I thought the collard greens were pretty standard, but loved the chickpeas!!

I've decided to increase the stars due to Tadu's special kitfo.I first tried raw kitfo (the original style) in Berkeley because it's my friend's favourite Ethiopian dish, while I'm usually more partial to awaze beg tibs (lamb). Her raw kitfo was flavourful, but the texture of raw meat wasn't my personal favourite, so I haven't had kitfo since.However, I noticed that people kept talking about Tadu's kitfo, and I really wanted to give this restaurant another shot since it's close by. It helped that they would cook the kitfo too if the customer wished.I ended up ordering the special kitfo cooked medium rare since it was spicier than the original kitfo, and the special kitfo had onions and jalapeños, which I love. And this kitfo is what I expected out of the lamb tibs. It was juicy, it was spicy, it had the Ethiopian spices I was looking for. Tadu has very plain lamb tibs in my opinion (Finfine in Berkeley makes the best tasting, spicy lamb tibs). But their special kitfo more than makes up for it.I only wished Tadu would make rare special kitfo. Medium rare was a little too cooked, but I don't want to get raw meat to take home during this pandemic, otherwise I'd give raw kitfo another shot.Regardless, if you want something spicy and different, get the kitfo.

Recently had lunch at Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen. The restaurant is in the heart of the Tenderloin neighborhood. The neighborhood is a bit rough around the edges so wouldn't feel comfortable going here at night for dinner by public transport yet lunch was just fine.The interior of the restaurant is clean yet a bit small so can feel a bit claustrophobic. It was crowded at the lunch hour as is a popular place. Due to the limited seating expect to potentially share your table w/ another customer. Service was just fine.I decided to go w/ the Veggie Combo which is my usual go to at Ethiopian restaurants. This is by default vegan/vegetarian. It came w/ Kik Alicha, Misir Wot, Gomen & Alicha Tikil gomen w/ sides of Azifa, buticha & salad along w/ served w/ Injera bread.For those who aren't Ethiopian food aficionados I will try to translate to simple terms as the Veggie Combo was a salad w/ two dressings, yellow split pea stew, spicy red lentils, cabbage, & collard greens served w/ injera bread. Overall felt the food here was equal or even surpassed some of the Ethiopian food I have had in the East Bay. I didn't find the food to be at all that spicy yet was flavorful, filling, & a solid meal. Feel Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen isn't a place for date night as is a hole in the wall w/ solid Ethiopian cuisine so come for the food not the ambience.Am curious to explore some of the other Ethiopian places in the City yet will surely return to Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen for lunch again. I especially like that they offer lunch as many of the other Ethiopian Restaurants in the City seem to be only open for dinner during the week.

I can always count on Ethiopian food to deliver THE burn....ON B( I )TH ends.That just comes with the territory when eating spicy food. Let's get the obvious out of the way, this Tadu location is deep in the TL. When I came for a solo lunch, there were loiters outside but they didn't bother me. Depending on which direction you're walking from, some streets can be seedy. If you're weary about venturing into the TL, they have a second newer location in Mission Bay. Like most immigrant mom and pop shops in the TL, I think the divey location adds to the charm. It's a tiny spot which can seat a max of 12 people and that's even pushing it. Come solo or bring A friend. This is not a place for larger parties. I ordered the Lamb Tibs ($14.95) and on that day, it included Misir Wot (spicy lentils) https://bit.ly/2m0dJvq. All entrees are served with salad and injera (spongy sourdough flatbread). I requested that my order be made spicy and requested ayib (like Ethiopian cottage cheese) on the side to cut the heat. The highlight of my meal was the Misir Wot. The lentil stew was richly spiced and deliciously thick with a good burn. The injera's sourness perfectly offset the richness of the stew.Unfortunately, the Lamb Tibs were a disappointment: https://bit.ly/2msBtZr. While bursting with robust berbere spices, the lamb tibs were overcooked, tough, and full of gristle.The lone staff (cook and cashier) spoke limited English so it's best not to make complicated requests. Everything is made to order so expect at least 15-20 minutes for your order. Overall, tasty Ethiopian food but probably best to stick with the veggie items. Once a year for a week, after Abiy Tsom (lent), Tadu serves Doro Wat, a spiced chicken stew which I'll have to return for.

Located in the Tenderloin, this Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen's surroundings is not too scary during the daylight hours. And as always, be aware of your surroundings. Food-wise, the dishes my friend and I tried were good. The lovely server was also super accommodating and even demonstrated to us, how to fold the injera bread, when he discovered that this was our first time trying Ethiopian food. Thanks to him, no one will ever know.Food ordered:1. Special Kitfo (5/5):The special Kitfo is quite unique. Made with lean, ground beef (you can order this any level of "rare" you would like, but we got it well done) and mix of veggies and special spices, the savory kitfo was a delightful compliment to the sour yet soft, injera bread. Since it is not particularly sauce-y, the injera absorbed the perfect amount of kitfo, and stayed in tact.2. Lamb Tibs (3/5):Let me give you a little tib: for those who like meat and stir fries, this is for you. Honestly, the lamb tibs reminded me of a lamb stir fry since you get pieces of lamb and chopped vegetables. The lamb marinade may be slightly different of course, but it wasn't too extravagant, to the point where I thought I was trying something entirely new.All foods ordered are served, side by side, on the same platter or a larger piece of injera bread.

For someone who is not a Yelper he's exceptionally efficient with identifying local restaurants. Yelp apparently has an option for 1.0 mile radius search. I had my heart set on Dog Patch and he wanted Ethiopian because we've not had it together before so even though it's a 1.2 mile hike, we made it happen via Lyft. There are plenty of great Ethiopian places in Arlington Virginia, Oakland California but it's not so often you run into one in the city. I like how quaint and tiny it is. The decor is suitably African. Heat waves had not rolled across the Bay yet. I had my green long coat on and was in the mood for something hearty. We had beef and lamb. All of it comes with greens. The fried dough with beef was super flavorful. I liked the spices that went into the dishes. The area is sketchy, but inside felt peaceful and quiet. The food definitely is home made. We asked the greeter if he owns the place and he says yes. Rarely do you still see small family operated restaurant in the city these days. The meal is protein rich, packed with amazing flavors. It felt like a hole in a wall. I don't think he had expected it to be that small of a restaurant, though. Though he might not think I would like something like this, perhaps too causal for my usual go to places, I did like it very much. The food had all the right texture and flavors. It was small but efficient. Food got served promptly so we could return home to rest and not spend an entire evening waiting to be served. Definitely a neighborhood gem!

Amazing food! This was my first time trying Ethiopian food and i'm definitely craving more after eating here. Their injera comes in little rolls that you unravel to scoop up your food. We ordered the vegetarian combo and a few others with lentils, collard greens, and salad. Lentils were probably my favorite, but all were delicious. Prices were reasonable - total came out to around $12 for each of us. Definitely recommend!Another plus: black sugar is only a block or two away if you're craving dessert afterwards

My wife and I were excited to place our first order with Tadu, but when the food arrived, instead of the traditional inerja bread we ordered, they substituted large stale french bread rolls. The inerja bread is the key component to the Ethiopian dining experience, substituting french bread makes the meal inedible. Tadu should know this!!!! And I certainly would not have spent $140.00 on this meal if I had known that's what they were going to receive. While the dishes were ok, having to use these stale french bread rolls completely ruined the meal! I called the restaurant and the manager said they ran out, so substituted the french bread rolls. This is not OK! Imagine trying to eat a Falafel or a Gyro in a stale french bread roll instead of a Pita? You wouldn't eat it! The manager told me to reach out to Uber Eats where I ordered the meal and request a small refund. OK, I can do this but where's the pride and responsibility for delivering the food the customer ordered? I received zero empathy for my situation from the manager. This isn't a situation of privilege. We don't eat out that often, so when we do it is a treat. Tadu completely let us down. I will never order from them again.

Pretty good non-pretentious gem downtown. Injera was excellent, also veg. combo and spicy mushroom/tofu tibs!

If you're open to trying new foods, this is the place to try! The Food was delish! I got the combination plate with both meat and veggies. Also the samosa's were fresh, handmade and also amazing! You will not be disappointed.