It's difficult to review Ethiopian Diamond, because just doing so is making me hungry.
I've been coming here for about 10 years (at least I think so). I am vegetarian, but I often go with meat eaters. The food is fabulous. I love Ethiopian food, but Ethiopian Diamond has spoiled me for other restaurants. I find myself comparing all other places to here. My four favorite dishes are the cabbage, the red lentils (spicy!), the yellow split peas, and the chickpea wat. I highly recommend you get either the veggie combo or the Taste of Ethiopia (also available with meat). These combos offer you a ton more food than ordering individual dishes.
I will say I don't love the sambusas. It's not that they are bad, just that they aren't my thing. The tej (honey wine) is homemade and is amazing. I'm not a drinker, but it is truly fabulous. I also like the beet salad with the light lemon juice dressing.
I have had to wait a while to get in on weekends, but it is worth it. Now I need to figure out how I can get there this week....
This was the 2nd time I had gone to Ethiopian Diamond in 5 years and I went with 2 other people-- one who had a discount restaurant card from Chicago Public Radio (2 dinners for 1 deal). Â Our experience was great-- our server was attentive and sweet, our food was really good. We order 2 sampler dishes because (1) they can easily feed 3 people and (2) we would get one for free because of the CPR discount card. Â
Their food was really good (as I had remembered it) and their honey wine is awesome (I had 2 glasses of it). Â
Our only issue was that the host of the restaurant was really rude and curt towards us. Â We told our server (who was really cool) that we had a discount card in advance and she took the card to ring up our tab. Â The host came back and said that they would charge us a "$7 sharing fee" since we only ordered 2 sampler plates (which are huge btw) and there were 3 people at the table. Â We were not told in the beginning of that fee. Â We were kinda ticked because the fee defeats of the whole purpose of having a Chicago Public Radio discount card.
I've noticed in the last 2 years that many restaurants are catching up to how people are trying to save money in a lousy economy. Many restaurants will not accommodate large parties of people (this is my ranting of diners and restaurants in general) and they will no longer seat you unless your entire party arrives. Â My boyfriend, who came 5 minutes early, was rushed to the bar by the rude host and he just waited for us. Â A lot of places charge ridiculous fees and really just want you to "eat and leave". Â They charge fees for ridiculous things and many places will not honor Groupon or other coupon deals. Â Irksome. Â
The food at E.D. was excellent but the host was just really crass towards us.  Their food gets 5 stars but the host was just a turn off. I would only go back if I have another  coupon or deal (or if someone else wanted to pay lol....)
I fell in love with Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant early on when I moved to the city. I've tried other Ethiopian restaurants, and none compare.
I can only speak to the vegetarian dishes, as I've never sampled the meat dishes. The taste and presentation of the food is always consistent. I have never had a "bad" batch of food given to me.
The service is quick and friendly. The restaurant can become very busy on nights closer to the weekend, but service seems to remain the same.
The staff are very friendly and helpful if you have a dinner partner who has never had Ethiopian before or one who doesn't know the differences between one dish from another.
The appetizers are excellent and always made fresh. If you run out of injera at your main course, they happily bring you more and don't charge "extra" for more pieces of injera. However, I've never eaten to excess, so there may be a point where they would begin charging a few extra dollars, but I just don't know.
At one point, I was stopping in for carry-out on a weekly basis. Although it saves some money by not having to pay for service, be prepared to spend a little more than the usual American restaurant for a meal. However, it's definitely worth it. Sometimes I can get three to four meals out of "E3 for one," which is the vegetarian sampler.
A must-try is the tej (honey wine). I've tried tej in other restaurants, including NYC, and Ethiopian Diamond's tej is the best. It appears less filtered than other tejs in that it's cloudy and has a bit of sediment at the bottom. I think that it gives it more flavor, body, and visual interest, as compared to a purely clear tej.
Ethiopian Diamond's atmosphere is inviting and comfortable. It's definitely a nice place for a date if you're comfortable eating spicy food with your hands. Eating "family style" is a healthy experience in itself. Throughout the weekends, there are often performances, anything from a keyboardist covering a number of jazz and/or jazz-influenced pop songs, to a trio on stage.
Hands down, this is my favorite restaurant in Chicago (so far). I love it so much that I will most likely plan a party for my big 3-0 there. Another plus is that there are often Groupons readily available and other discounts (such as 20% off lunch if you bring in a takeout menu).
A must-try for anyone visiting or living in Chicago for the first time!
Ok, I LOVE the food at this restaurant. Love, love, love it. It is seriously the best ethiopian in the city. The reason I'm giving it only 3 stars though is that in my last few visits (over about the past 6 months), the portion sizes have gotten ridiculously small. My two friends and I went a few weeks ago and we were so surprised that although we ordered three meals, it looked like only enough food for two. We left hungry. Not cool. Ethiopian Diamond, please go back to your original portion sizes!!
Review Source:The food was extremely good. Â The service was HORRIBLE. Â I still give it 4 starts because I left full and the food really was great. Â I'm not sure what was going on inside with the staff. Â I think we had 4 different servers and the Manager/Host was sitting at the bar drinking cocktails. Â Weird.
Review Source:I think this was only the third, or maybe fourth Ethiopian restaurant I've ever been to, and the last one was quite a while ago, but I remember liking the cuisine a lot before, so either my palate has changed, or this particular restaurant just wasn't knocking my socks off. Â I ordered a ton of food, wanting to try a bit of everything, with the intent to take home whatever I couldn't finish. I started the meal with the "Tour of Ethiopia" deluxe combo platter. The beef and chicken sambusas were both good, though rather small. Diamond salad, though simple was also quite good. Yebeg Tibbs Alicha was my entree, and I got spinach (Quosta) as a side. Â Flavor on the Yebeg was ok, but a bit bland, and the supposedly "boneless" pieces of lamb were filled with gristle and bits of bone. I estimate there was barely 1.5 ounces of actual lamb meat in the entree portion, which I found skimpy for the price. I really didn't like the spinach side at all, and I normally love spinach, but it had a harsh, funky topnote, like they had used an overwhelming amount of processed garlic rather than fresh, and there was also a "dirty" aftertaste. Oh, well, moving on to what should have been my to-go box, I sampled the E2 "Taste of Ethiopia". These were spicier dishes, mostly watts, so I hoped this was where the Diamond would really shine. While the sauces were more flavorful on this group, the meat again was mostly bones and gristle and the portion sizes were even smaller. Everything was kind of thrown and squashed into a styrofoam box together, so the injera on the bottom got ruined and it was hard to tell what was what, but the chicken leg was pretty good, and the boiled egg served with it was a nice touch. The lentil dish and the beef chunks were also good, bordering on very good. Another order of the same spinach eventually got thrown out after it sat around at home for a day with the rest of the leftovers. Service was pleasant, (I was practically the only one in the restaurant) and communication was easy, though after recommending a beer that was listed as $4 on the menu, my server charged me $5.50 for it. I didn't bother mentioning the discrepancy, but did notice it when paying. I'd give the overall experience and value 3 out of 5 stars, and I'm curious to try some other local Ethiopian places to see how they compare, because my friends really like this restaurant, so perhaps my tastes have just changed over the years.
Review Source:Every time I have ethiopian cuisine, I'm reminded of the movie Along Came Polly, and Ben Stiller's experience. Â It's really nothin like that, at least in my experience. Â But it always brings a smile to my face.
Any ethiopian cuisine is as exotic as an ethnic food gets, and yet my exposure to the cuisine has me thinking that Diamond is a little more geared towards an American palate than others. Â Simple flavors. Â Not overly heavy on the spices. Â Probably a good thing for any first timer.
We went with our vegetarian friends, so we were ok with going vegetarian (we've had the meats before- different, but all excellent).
Started with the vegetarian sambusas. Â Excellent; nice and crispy. Â The whole lentil sambusa is the way to go.
Then we got the vegetarian combo for all, and added the Shiro. Â Definitely try the Shiro. Â Of the whole platter, only one was spicy, the red lentils. Â I would want to get more spicy dishes next time. Â
We got the gluten-free, all tef flour, ingera. Â Be sure to request from your server as soon as you are seated. Â much darker in color, and maybe a little tangier, but would probably need a side-by-side comparison to really tell the diff. Â
Also, the ethipoian hot tea is a must. Â
Ethiopian cuisine is probably best first attempted with someone who has experienced it before. Â Oh, and with someone with whom you trust their hygiene. Â Everyone eats with their hands off the same platter. Â Maybe they should bring out hot towels for a hand cleansing at the beginning of the meal. Â Just a thought.
Well, I have been here a good number of times over a decade. Â It was always a bit slow. Â The service was always a bit kook. Â But now, NOW, I am over this biznass. Â Used to --you could get a meal here. Â These days you order a meal and get a scoop of food for like $13.00. Â By a scoop I mean a half cup of lentils for $13.00. Â I ordered the veggie combo and got about $1.20 of food. Â I mean they were stingy with cabbage. CABBAGE. Â You know, cabbage? Â It's like 40 cents a pound!
For $25.00 I had 1 drink and a veggie combo and left hungry as hell. Â I am a light eater; I weigh 125 lbs. Â And this was like not even a snack, with a long wait, and really weird service. Â Ethiopian Diamelle, if that!
I had Ethiopian food once and it was cold and bland and I steered clear of it for years because of that one negative experience. Â But today, I went to Ethiopian Diamond and my eyes were opened! Â This was some of the tastiest food I've had in a while. Â The great thing about it was that we went around 11 AM, with a total of four moms and four toddlers and the staff was so kid-friendly! Â The waitress told each of our kids how beautiful they were and the waiter always approached us with warm smiles, even when we had to run after a toddler who found an African drum behind a curtain and started pounding out a beat! Â I made sure to tip them well. :)
I tried the Tour of Ethiopia and sampled one of the beef appetizers, a chicken Apriyah main dish, and a carrots and potatoes side dish, with an Ethiopian salad. Â Everything was delicious and I just loved the Injera bread that was used to scoop up all the food. Â My only regret is that I couldn't have tried more dishes. Â Next time, I'm coming with a group who will eat family style so we can try lots of different items!
This place is worth the 3 stars, even despite the slower service. The food is roick solid and that makes us willing to suffer the inconsistent service.
We have been to both the location on Broadway, and the location on N Clark. We had lunch at the Clark location and were the only patrons, but had extremely inattentive service. We have had better luck sticking with the Broadway location.
This is a great restaurant to introduce those new to Ethopian food - I myself was taken here when my sister came to visit, as she had been living in South Africa and knew her way around the cuisine better than I did.
The prices seem reasonable and we always end up with leftovers. If you are in a hurry though, this is not the place to go.
Tasty Ethiopian fare...I LOVE the flavor in the Doro Watt - chicken drumstick dish. Â We also usually do the Veggie Combo and pick three veggie dishes which are usually also super yummy. Â I like the spicy red lentil one a lot. Â The non-spicy offerings are a bit bland to me but the spicy are so good, who cares?! Â They are SO nice too. Â Usually enjoy a light Ethiopian beer with our meal and of course, the injera.
Review Source:I really wanted to like this food. It was not terrible but it was rather greasy and service was slow. Whatever was in the food was not nice to my tummy at all. It was just a strange mixture of spices and grease. I have been to other Ethiopian places without these problems, so not sure what went on.
Review Source:We really enjoyed our meal at Ethiopian Diamond. Â I virtually never take pictures of food at restaurants, but I did here. Â Our reservation was honored immediately and our waitress was friendly and helpful. Â Mellow jazz band in the back was an unexpected plus. Â We will definitely be back - tomorrow, as it happens!
Review Source:This was my first time trying Ethiopian food and it was Amazing. I'm completely hooked. There were 5 of us and we shared a platter for 4 (one veggie, one meat).
I do wish the menu was slightly easier to read, but it's probably just that I had never seen an Ethiopian food menu before.
The service was a little slow but the food was so good that I didn't care. I can't wait to go back!
Sadly I was too full for dessert!! Next time
Spectacular food, service and ambiance!!!! The food is always delicious...so flavorful and fresh. The owner is always present and greeting her customers...and will always help her staff when needed. The live music on Friday and Saturdays is really nice as well. A++++ You will not be disappointed with anything on the menu!
Review Source:I do love their food..I really do. And I especially love their coffee. (although someone on here said the fried stuff can come out wrong and that's true.. it can be hard)
You have to go there a little bit ready for your server to be slow because it's true one or two people are overwhelmed with a lot to do.
This Ethiopian "Diamond" is worth the visit. It is definitely one of the top three best Ethiopian restaurants in the city. They provide a variety of healthy vegetarian and vegan options, traditional to their culture.
The service is friendly and the space open, making it a great place for larger parties. I get their vegan sampler for lunch and it is good every time. They dont have it listed on the menu but create one for the same price as the vegetarian sampler every time!
Nice restaurant, interesting food and and friendly service. Avoid anything fried because it comes out almost inedible and hard. When i complained I was told that is how it is made. So avoid anything fried with bread shells. We ordered the "Tour" for two at about $40 and it was nice with plenty of bread. The salad was a basic green salad with a delicious light dressing. The lentils and potatoes were no more than a spoonful and I thought they were the best parts. I felt there should have been more with our order. The chicken and beef portions were substantial , but why serve it with the bones? Yes, large bones are good to cook with, but why serve them? The service was a bit  slow and one of our servers seemed to have no idea how to explain the menu. Another server was kind, knowledgeable, helpful and responsive. Go figure? Again, avoid anything fried.
Review Source:I was so excited to go this Restaurant because of all the great reviews, and on top of that I wanted to experience another type of cuisine! Â When I saw Ethiopian Diamond on Groupon I snatched up the deal right away.
When my friend and I walk in we are greeted right away by the Host/Waiter. Â That was great and we were then given our water and the menu.
It is at this point the experience starts to slowly decline.
I had a few questions because I had never been to this type of restaurant before, I mean it would have been nice if the Waiter would have said have you ever dined with us or something, bu no such luck so we were left scratching our heads!
He walked over placed some napkins on our table and told us he would be right with us!
No problem we said...thinking when he returned we could ask him a few questions.
When the waiter came to take our order because he was basically the only person taken orders he didn't have the time to explain to me what it was I was looking at, matter a fact when he did stop for a moment I was more confused then when I was earlier.
He then left and said call me when you really know what you want....My friend and I are like what, really?
When he came back I began to order and he told me no that's wrong you can only order from this column, I told you that! Â
He then pointed to the the numbers and the collation to the food so I told him to give me a second and smiled but it wasn't a genuine it was one of annoyance because I didn't understand their menu and he didn't have time to be bothered with us.
When he came back my friend asked "Are sides included with my order and he says whatever the Chef decides to give you that will be your side!"
Really? Â we said that a lot while here at the EDR.
When the food came to the table the waiter asked if we had ever been to an Ethiopian Restaurant and I said no, my friend said yes once and as he walked away he said okay she will explain things to you...Wow!!!
Now, the food was good but the portions were so small that even the young girl sitting behind us told her father that she was still hungry!!!
For the prices that they charge you would think they would have some heartier portions.
I'm glad I had a Groupon because if I would have paid 40.00 for that meal I would have been more disappointed.
Service is just as important as the meal and for me the service was lackluster and the was tasty but I wont be back because I want to enjoy my experience and not feel lost as I sit there!
So...ever since I saw that Polly movie I've wanted to go to a restaurant that A. you eat with your hands and B. sit on the floor. Â As this was the first time we'd ever had Ethiopian, I wasn't sure what to expect, and maybe it was the whole no utensil thing, but I had a very good feeling... I'm a foreign food connoisseur who will try just about anything once (minus insects) so needless to say I was pumped.
Food was delicious, but word to the wise*** only order spicy if u can handle it!! We ordered the lamb and although it's not your typical idea of spicy, that great flavor took a toll on me about an hour later. Now I love spicy food and have been known to eat it so hot it hurts, unfortunately for me this turned out to be another one of those days. It seems my poor newbie stomach had a little trouble digesting everything, but no worries it was definitely worth it.
Portions are fair and accommodating; my boyfriend eats like an animal and I only ordered 2 Â dishes, the lamb and red lentils. BE AWARE when ordering...if you order sides, make sure to specify because they'll charge you for a full portion!!! (unexpected hit on the bill)
all in all, yummy and unique experience, will definitely return!
I love this place.   It's warm, the staff is helpful with food choice and accommodating to folks that insist on silverware.   Ethiopian food is to be shared with folks you feel comfortable with and this place provides the best experience for you.  I strongly recommend the honey wine and the vegetarian combo.   Wonderful, relaxing  and I feel like I have travel to Ethiopia when I am there.  Well worth the travel north.
Review Source:As much as I am obsessed with their food - my last visit here wasn't spectacular, and I think this place is losing out on the race to be my favorite Ethiopian restaurant, (not that anyone cares except me)
We got there at 7, and our food didn't come out till 8:15, between that, our server came to told us the food was about to ready once, and no additional visit. Our water was not refilled until the food came out (not sure if this is a common practice or not). I was sooo hungry I started to get cranky. My friend tempted me with a granola bar, but hell no, who decided to go get Ethiopian just to ruin it by eating granola bar right before the meal?
The food was delicious, full of flavor. The Okra was phenomenon. We literally inhaled the whole meal in about 10-15 minutes - turned out I wasn't the only one hungry, others just hid it better.
I still like this place, I just hope they have better services. Or perhaps put a warning on their menu, so my friends doesn't have to endure me being a brat - on our way home I barely spoke to my friend - yes I was full, and yes I was still cranky about the long wait - poor him!
Our experience here was not the best but the food was, for the most part, very good. A solid 3.5 in my book.
A friend and I stopped by around 8p on a Sunday evening. The place was PACKED, and the host let us know that though we could be seated right away the wait for our food would be about an hour. I think this is pretty atypical of Diamond in general, they were just short staffed that night, it seems. We appreciated the heads up, and decided to stick it out. It took maybe 40 minutes for our appetizer to come out, and after that long of a wait we were disappointed to find that it was pretty horrible. We had ordered the lentil sambusa and it was nearly cold, overly fried, and just generally not tasty. Yuck.
Luckily our main entrees were yummy. The injera was plentiful and just the right texture. The doro tips were flavorful, although some pieces of chicken were a little dry. The shimbra assa was interesting. I enjoyed the spicy kick of the sauce but some of the chickpea dough broke off into dry little unappetizing chunks. The small tomato salad that came with it was light and refreshing. Big portions and overall a lot of wonderful textures/flavors.
Diamond is a great space for large parties and children. The service seemed kind of all over the board from my observations. Our server was very friendly but did not check in with us too often (understandable, on this night), and many of the female servers in particular seemed really aloof and not very personable at all. The food was good enough that I wouldn't mind coming back, but there are so many other Ethiopian places around the neighborhood that I'm sure I'll try to check them out first!
I hosted my book signing at Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant for two reasons. One, the protagonist in my novel, LIME, is half-Ethiopian and I wanted my readers to experience the Ethiopian food and culture like my protagonist, Lime Prince. The second reason I chose Ethiopian Diamond is because it is highly rated as "the best" Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago. The food and service was outstanding. Almaz Yigizaw, the owner, not only served the food, but gave an enlightening presentation about Ethiopian food and culture. Also, the Harrar Coffee was smooth and delicious.
My readers were not only convinced to read my book, but to come back to Ethiopian Diamond for the wonderful food and service.
I tried Ethiopian food for the first time when I was about 18 (thanks to my friend Joe who is a food expert). I have loved it ever since. The Diamond is the best place in Chicago to get it.
I especially love the Tibs Wett. Their Injera is fabulous!! If you have room, try any of their yummy desserts.
If you have thought about trying Ethio food, but never have, this is the place to go and fall in love with it.
I go as often as I can!
I've been to pretty much every Ethiopian place in Chicago (except Awash, which is sort of new) and hands down Ethiopian Diamond has the best tasting food. Â Any time I ask Ethiopian folks about what's a good place, they also recommend the Diamond (as they like to call it). Â I know some people are apprehensive about trying Ethiopian food, but it's just a matter of picking dishes that you like. Â They have a pretty large spectrum of flavors. Â I am a fan of getting one of the veggie platters, doro watt, and doro tibs. Â I don't eat much beef or lamb, so I haven't ordered either. Â Once in a while, the food is not that great. Â I do admit that the quality/flavor has fluctuated. Â In all, I've been here maybe 6-7 times, and the food was mediocre about twice.
There are...some people...who have rated this place low. Â Don't listen. Â It's a hipster-snob thing. Â The Diamond doesn't have overdone decor. Â In fact, it's pretty low key. Â Sure, they don't use broken dishes, don't have holes in the walls, and don't have bugs crawling around. Â Sure, occasionally, American Ethiopian folks will have parties hosted there. Â Just because it is Ethiopian doesn't mean that it must be a hole in the wall, or that it must be a hole in the wall to be good, or that anybody who DOES enjoy the food must have fallen for the "exotic" seduction of ethnic food, or that people think it's gourmet because gosh we're all just so stupid, ignorant, and not classy enough to know that certain foods aren't classy or "gourmet." Â Sheesh. Â People say the same snobby sh*t about Indian food too. Â Please.
If you want good Ethiopian food, give this place a try. Â I do agree with some reviewers that the price is a little much...especially if you're like me and order 2-4 different things for two people (one tour "plate" with mixed veggie dishes and two separate meat dishes). Â I've taken leftovers home and they have tasted fine, but always look messy. Â Just a heads up.
2/5 stars, but consider it a strong 2/5 or a weak 3/5.
A lot of glowing reviews for this place. I think it's because Chicagoans have not experienced really good "working class" Ethiopian food, and they perhaps think that it is a very exotic (possibly gourmet?) cuisine that needs an Epcot Center "Cuisine of the World"-style presentation. The Ethiopian Diamond makes you feel like a tourist, with the overdone decor & over-priced small portions.
That being said, it's tasty food & the spacious dining room makes it an excellent location for larger groups. Don't believe the hype on the reviews -- Chicago is looking for an uptown Ethiopian place to award the "best of" ribbon & the Diamond is the garish obvious choice -- but enjoy it for what it is at any rate. I LOVE Ethiopian food, and this place will do, but I'm still searching for that perfect hole-in-the-wall place that serves the good stuff without all the fuss & inflated prices.
Don't know why I bother writing the 447th review of this restaurant, but since my catchphrase is "Everyone is welcome to my opinion", I'm going to go ahead and do it.
My friend the Librarian chose Ethiopian Diamond when I said, "eh. . . I'm kind of sick of everything, and I don't want to eat humongously fattening food. . . how about Ethiopian food for a change?" I'm very grateful she recommended this particular restaurant. Everything was absolutely delicious.
We went vegetarian, as we are frequently wont to do. We ordered a Veggie Combo, which gave us three choices (sorry, i don't remember exactly!) and the Yemisir Watt, a spicy lentil dish. Oh boy was this delicious! We rolled injera into our hot little hands and scooped up fabulous food. We tried, oh we tried so hard, to eat it all, but it was too much for our girlish appetites. We had to take some home with us.
Can't tell you about the alcohol, because we stayed sober. Such good food deserves full attention!
Service was prompt and professional. And I even found a free street parking space a couple blocks away.
I would absolutely go again. In fact, I can hardly wait!
I really enjoy this place. It has a nice, relaxing ambiance, with subdued lighting, and some of the best Ethiopian food I have ever had. I always order the vegetarian combo, and the lentil, potato, and cabbage dishes are excellent. The vegetarian combo offers a nice variety. I also enjoy ordering their sambusas as an appetizer, which seem to be an Ethiopian answer to Indian samosas. The restaurant also serves an excellent Brazilian black beer (I always forget its name) that goes down nice and smooth.
I confess that I am not the biggest fan of injera bread, with its spongy texture, and after a while of eating it I would love the option of using silverware instead, but I respect the dining custom and enjoy the excellent dishes and friendly service. They do a great job of making you feel at home.
If you are looking for a quality Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago, Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant is a must.
I absolutely LOVED my time at the Ethiopian Diamond with my boyfriend and 2 good friends. I have to say I like this place a lot more than Ras Dashen not too far down the street. I will note however I was not able to sample any meat at Ras (due to an accompanying vegetarian friend) and I finally was able to enjoy the glory that are Ethiopian meat dishes at the Diamond.
If my memory serves me correct we had the .... Kitfo (Ethiopian Steak Tartar) which was out of bounds, crazy crazy good with a bite of  the Injura and their "cottage cheese" (I have no idea what it's called). I *think* we had the Dinich Alicha (potatoes) for our vegetarian option and the Yebeg Watt (spicy lamb). Everything was so good it was unbelievable. All of this was served with the cottage cheese, greens and lentils atop Injura with heaps of extra Injura on the side. Every bite was perfect, savory, spicy, amazing. I love the sour of the cheese and the Injura with the creamy & spicy of the meat, greens or lentils.
A friend had their honey wine, I did not sample it but she was drinking this stuff up like it was going out of style. It was really freaking great apparently. I had a glass of wine, I chose one at random, don't remember which one but I remember it was good. The boys got some Ethiopian beer, they seemed to be unimpressed by it but it was all about the food anyway.
This place was packed around 8 - 9 on a Saturday night, I was actually surprised how crazy busy it was for so "late" ... this just proved to me how good this place must be (is) and that all the locals know it. Live jazz added to a really fantastic evening. I am dying to go back. Loved loved loved this place. Worth every penny; I'm reliving every bite now ....
I like eating with my hands but I'm really, really bad at it. I never knew how bad at it I was until I was visiting an Indian home in a Maharashtrian village, and a small child who'd been watching me struggle to pick up rice shook her head and handed me a spoon.
But I try.
And try I must at Ethiopian Diamond! Whether or not the food will make it safely to my mouth from the shared plate at the middle of the table will raise anyone's doubts... but what does arrive safely is completely delicious.
Gluten-free folks can call ahead to place orders of gluten-free (or black) injera. If you're a gluten-free, or mixed table, they'll be certain to serve the black injera underneath your entrees as well.
This place is usually busy and LOUD. The service is usually very slow if you're here with a large party, especially if you've got separate checks-- but even if you're only a few, just getting greeted at the door might take a good, long while. I don't really mind because I absolutely need my occasional fix of gomen.
There is a stage at the back of the restaurant where musical performers play instruments that I can't name. It's a good idea, unless you're sitting close to the stage (or halfway across the restaurant), in which case it is far too loud to be enjoyable... Even the best conversationalists may remain mute instead of yelling through dinner.
But nevermind the negatives... This place is amazingly delicious.
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