I have eaten at Habesha three times, The food is amazing! The food has all the favors and homemade goodness of any of the Ethiopian restaurants in town. Â The service is pathetic. We were the only people in Hebesha, and multiple tables were covered in drink/food stains. Â Give yourself at least 40/50 minutes from ordering to food being served. Â I do recommend trying Hebesha out.
Review Source:The food was pretty good but the service was terrible. Â The server was really nice but after he brought us our food, we didn't see him again. Â He never refilled our water, didnt bring us napkins (which normally wouldn't be a big deal but I get messy when I'm eating Ethiopian food), and never brought us the salads. The injera was yummy but cold and it seemed like the food wasn't fresh. Â Some of the meat was dry (like it had been cooked previously and reheated). Â I probably wouldn't come back here again.
Review Source:I've only been here for their Sunday buffet, and found it to be cheap and yummy. Â Roughly 2-3 meat entrees, a salad (better than I thought it would be), and a few vegetarian options. Â Plentiful injera (Ethiopian bread). Â I don't have the Ethiopian culinary experience to decide whether or not the injera is the best or the worst, but I enjoyed it, thoroughly.
I took off a few stars, because the decor really, really leaves a lot to be desired. Â The times I've been there, it was really oppressively hot, as well. Â Service is spotty, but the people who work there are nice.
Really worth checking out for the buffet (SUNDAY!) Â If you're new to Ethiopian food, or timid about "strange" food (I know too many people like this), this is a good intro. Â Nothing is spicy and most things are easily identifiable by sight.
Ethiopian food in Denver is surprisingly good. Â Add Habesha into your rotation, if you have not been here yet. Â Like every other Ethiopian place in town, if you are concerned about the interior looks or are a clean-freak, you may wish to steer clear. Â I found the food and service to be better than most, Â Get one of the large combination platters, and try some new flavors. Â As Thomas said, Habesha is noticeably less greasy than some other restaurants, which is a good thing. Â I thought that their injera was the only weak point of the dinner. Â Not as flavorful as other places. Â Well worth a try for those looking to venture into new cuisines.
Review Source:Worst restaurant experience EVER!
My friend and I were excited to go back here for lunch after trying it a couple of months ago and enjoying the food. Â Right after we had gone, Westword had a daily deal which I had purchased and was looking forward to using.
There were two tables of six already seated, and the 1 server worker motioned for us to sit anywhere. Â We picked a table, and then waited and watched.
One table had sent someone to ask the server (who was hiding behind the bar) why their tab was over $1000. Â I'm not kidding. Â The server laughed and changed their bill. Â A guy from the other table came over and basically told the server that they were not paying for everything, that they never got the salads that they normally get, and where were their cream puffs for dessert? Â They resolved it somehow, and the cream puffs came out. Â You could sense the frustration from both tables.
The waiter brought us some water on an orange tray that looked like it came from McDonald's. Â He went to talk to one of the other tables. then brought us 1 menu. Â A minute later, he brought us another menu. Â We knew what we wanted, and ordered the vegetarian combo and 2 cokes. Â A few minutes later, he brought us 2 cokes with straws. I kid you not, he struggled to open the cans of coke for us as if he had never opened a soda can in his life. Â A few minutes later brought us 2 glasses, no ice. Â I followed him back to the bar to get ice because it was just easier.
The other 2 tables had left, and there was no effort made to bus them.
In the meantime, a woman came in who may have been the owner/manager. Â She and our waiter began having a heated discussion at the bar. Â They then moved it back to the kitchen where it was flat out arguing. Â It went on for sometime, and that's when, after being in the restaurant for 45 minutes, my friend and I decided to leave. Â They were still arguing.
What a shame. Â The food was great the first time I went, but I doubt I'll be back. I've never walked out of a restaurant after ordering food, but who knows when we would have gotten it, and I really didn't feel like listening to the arguing anymore. Â I hope Westword will refund my money for my deal!
Wow where to begin. Â This was not a very busy night with one party of four, and one party of two in front of us. Â You would think two servers and at least one cook would be capable of handling "the rush of business." Â WRONG! Â I've been to almost every Ethiopian place in Denver, so I am aware that sometimes you have to wait a while for food. Â Having said that, we waited two hours. Â Two hours to make a vegetarian platter for two. Â It may have had something to do with the fact that the cook decided he would rather come out and sit at the bar talking to customers and watching a baseball game on t.v. Â Or perhaps the fact that the servers were essentially doing the same. Â When the meal finally arrived it was not the right order. Â Normally I wouldn't care too much and just eat it, but when a plate full of chicken and beef is served to two vegetarians, well-you get the idea. Â When I brought this to the attention of the server, she gave a hasty apology and went back. Â Ten minutes later a very small portion was served. Â Usually have plenty to eat and sometimes will take some home, but we both left hungry. Â Food was ok, a little bland compared to the competition. Â Needless to say, we will not return.
Review Source:I just went back here with one of the friends who was with me the very first night I went--when the food was phenomenal.
So as not to break tradition, we got the veggie platter for two. Â It was missing the green split pea blob and the chickpea blob, which are two of my favorites. Â The red cabbage and onion blob was dry and overcooked. Â The yellow split pea blob was dried out and tasted like it had been in the freezer. Â The other blobs were less than fresh. Â The portions seemed even smaller than before.
When we were almost finished, a man came and asked us how everything was. Â We unenthusiastically said it was okay but the portions were very small. Â He asked our favorites and we told him the green bean blob and the potato and carrot blob. Â Within minutes, he came out with fresh, piping hot dishes of the two requested blobs.
They were incredible.
Which made me realize that NONE of our first blobs had been fresh.
The honey wine is great but (I believe) from a bottle. Â The Ethiopian coffee is the only coffee in the world I'll drink black. Â The place is really, really hot. Â Our water didn't come out until we were almost done with the meal.
This was the only time I haven't taken home the leftovers. Â And that's not because there weren't any.
I'm disappointed that we were served old food. Â At least there weren't any flies.
I have been to just about every Ethiopian joint in town, and while there are certain dishes at other places I enjoy more, the whole meal in itself is outstanding. I have 2 young boys (6 and 8), they've been eating here their whole lives and love the place. My oldest, and most experimental, has to have the gored gored...raw, every time. My wife and I get the veggi/meat combo for 2, which is enough for dinner and my lunch the next day (leftovers are highly recommended, they marinate overnight, and oh lord they are terrific). None of the food is to strange, for first timers. I'd recommend the Doro Wat and Gored Gored (it can be prepared raw, sautéed and fully cooked).
I have taken several people who have never eaten Ethiopian but were willing to try it, and they all loved it! If people have a hard time at home with food touching each other on their plate, you may want to go to TGI Friday's as everything is clustered together here.
The cons to the restaurant (which can be said for just about every Ethiopian spot) are that, usually the staff isn't all that fluent in English so you have a bit of a gap there, the time from ordering to eating long, usually 45-60 minutes, depending on how busy they are and they don't make it spicy enough for me (but I usually enjoy food spicier then most).
Another person said the restaurant was cold, I have experienced this myself and would recommend bringing a light coat.
I'm planning on trying the buffet today for the first time on Fathers day, and will let you now my findings.
The beef tibs are pretty good, if they are spicy and the the lentil sambosa is great, but the chicken tibs are average at best.  Our server was very sweet but the place lacks general atmosphere.  Like a  newish neighborhood place but will shop around next time for Ethiopian.  Oh, and it is really cold inside.
Review Source:This is a solid three star place, and I enjoyed my meal, but of the three of us that ate here on 2/13/11, two got sick. Â It must have been the chicken or the beef because the one person who did not become ill is vegetarian. Â We went for the Sunday buffet, and their food was pretty decent, though I do prefer another place in town more. Â But it was a nice way to try several items at a very reasonable price, only $7 for lunch. Â I enjoyed the semi-spicy lentils and the cabbage dish the most, and the injera was pretty good too. Â The spinach dish ran out before I could get any and the replacement was a green bean and carrot mixture. Â They were sort of slow to replenish the buffet and our water, but apparently this is fairly common given other reviews. Â Still, I liked the place and would have gone back again. Â Now I just wish whatever we ate here hadn't made us sick.
Review Source:I love Ethiopian food but this place is only so-so. The food was okay, but I've had better at other Ethiopian places in town. The place was FREEZING, and I'm usually pretty warm in a restaurant. I was literally shivering. The reason we went was that we had a gift certificate. When we went to use it, they questioned its authenticity. Hey, we can't help it if your gift certificates look home-made. Also the wall sized projection of The Bachelor TV show behind us was a weird touch.
Review Source:I've eaten at almost all of the Ethiopian restaurants in town and Habesha is my favorite!
The raw kitfo is mouth watering delicious and perfectly spicy. Â The veggie combo is amazing. Â The owner, Yared, is very friendly and accommodating. We had a birthday dinner with a large group once, and Yared brought us some interesting awazee dish to try that we hadn't even ordered, and it was delicious. Â Also, he gave us all free shots! Â
The decor is simple, but not quite as grungy as a lot of the other Ethiopian restaurants in town. Â The price is around $10 per selection I think (this is the going rate). Â
If you've never tried Ethiopian food before, this is a great place to start. Â If you have had Ethiopian food before, you won't be disappointed with Habesha!
I finally set up my Yelp account, JUST to write a glowing review for the follks over at Habesha to try to get the word out. I don't understand why the dining room's not packed every night, given how rocking the cuisine is. After my third visit in 6 months, it's risen to the top of my totally-authentic-and-amazingly-inexpensive list. Also: pretty darn healthy, especially if you're doing vegetarian.
Sure, as with most of the Ethiopian joints on Colfax (but also in New York's Spanish Harlem, for what it's worth), the space is spare, the waitresses are no-frills but friendly (and beautiful, in my opinion), and the art is a bit, um, hallucinogenic. I don't know about the Sunday buffet Caroline C. groused about; it's probably Saturday night's leftovers. But go any afternoon or evening and despite the fact that you may be the only table eating, the spreads are reliably pleasing. I'd recommend a combo platter, meat or veggie or both depending on your lifestyle, because you get a diverse sample of Ethiopian fare without being overwhelmed by any one item. And you can eat your heart out on the cheap: We're talking marinated meats tantalizingly spiced--lamb, beef, chicken. A trio of distinctly flavored lentils, each a different earthy hue. Succulent green beans and root veggies, proudly holding their own space on the Injera (pancake-like "bread"). A cabbage-potato-carrot succotash (to which I'm addicted). And a tidy, Mediterranean-style salad in the middle. You may be surprised by a hard-boiled egg or two, but get over it and enjoy your protein, people.
After you get the feel for it, the Injera begins to take on magical properties. The way those little pancake bubbles absorb all the juices under each item--so you can slurp up every last drop in a spicey-sweet sponge without worrying about silly utensils. Last time, my partner and I became so enamored with what you might call the "dregs," that we left nothing but the platter for the waitress to collect.
Let go of whatever your assumptions are about Ethiopian food and give Habesha a try. It's a real gem.
Habesha? Habesh-yaaaaa! This place is delicious.
I've been wanting to try out the stretch of Ethiopian restaurants on Colfax for more months than I can remember. Luckily last night after an event I had a hungry and adventurous Cherie C with me, and we agreed to drive out east and see what was open. We ended up at Habesha, and thanks to Cherie we ordered some stellar food.
This place was completely empty when we arrived around 7. It's very sparsely decorated, with bright orange walls and a crazy, trippy, otherwordly black velvet mural behind the bar glowing in the black light from the stage area. It looks like they have live music during the week, and there's plenty of dance space.
The food. The foooood! I've only had Ethiopian once back in the day in New Orleans, and I don't remember much about it. Eating with injera (sans forks or any other utensils) was something new to me but I quickly adapted! We shared a veggie combo with some spicy, hot beef tips for a little over $20, and there were leftovers to be had at the end of the meal. I was a big fan of the green beans and a slightly sweet pile of veggies that was maybe turnips and carrots? I really have no idea! I loved that everything was loaded up on a huge round platter, and then you could eat the bread base underneath.
By the time we left, there were a few what I'd guess were regulars up at the bar. There is a small beer and wine menu, which I'm super interested to try the next time I come back. Delish!! I will definitely be back.
When unfamiliar to an ethnic cuisine and with Colfax populated with multiple Ethiopian restaurants, how does one novice know which is the best, ask the experts. Â My Ethiopian friend informed me that Habesha was the place to go. Â The interior is inviting, clean, open, and has striking art work. Â They are very inviting and helpful in introducing you to what might be suitable for your taste. The meat combination is great. Â Gives you a bit of everything. Â The injera is warm and fluffy and in abundance. Â The meal is an experience in itself. Â I suggest you gather up your friends and make a Saturday night of it. They do traditional Ethiopian dances often times with a live band. Â A lot of fun and excellent food.
Review Source:My husband and I ate here last night. Â After visiting several Ethiopian restaurants here in Denver, I must say that this is, without question, the best. Â We used to enjoy eating Ethiopian food a a couple great spots when we lived in San Francisco, and, since moving to Denver, have been on a quest to find an equally great spot here. Â This is it. Â The food is so rich and flavorful without being overly greasy. Â We really enjoyed the veggie combo, and we will be back soon for more!
Review Source:Service, like in all Ethiopian resturaunts is found wanting, but what you gonna do? These are small family run enterprises and one person may be cook/host/manager. It's my favorite "ethnic" food except maybe Korean so I don't mind the wait and factor it in when I get the craving. I like Habesha as much as any other Colfax Ethiopian restaurant, which is to say I love it, and have been hitting this one most frequently of all recently. My wife and daugters like the veggie combo the best here of any and the Kitfo is excellent with a differant presentation than others on the 'Fax. In it's own little stand with the cheese and greens. Yum, now I gotta go hit the leftovers.
Review Source:Where's the fork? Â Yes, you eat with your hands. Â My first foray into Ethiopian and it was a success. Â
We arrived Sunday around 12:30 but waited a good 15 minutes for their buffet to be set up. Â It seemed odd that they didn't set up until the afternoon. Â Boy was it worth it though.
I love Habesha, and I eat Ethiopian food on a regular basis. Â For someone with a sensitive palette, just ask for the dishes to be mild. Â If you want the real deal, ask for the dishes to be spicy. Â The food is served a little more quickly than other Ethiopian restaurants, which is why I come here often. :) Yum!
Review Source:**I'm writing this review based on a single visit to Habesha Restaurant's buffet. I've never eaten Ethiopian food before either. I'll edit this if/when I eat at other Ethiopian places**
We dropped by at 1pm today, and there was just one other couple eating. We noticed there was a buffet, so decided to give it a whirl. All seven serving dishes were practically empty, and the food was dried out and stone-cold. Kinda puzzled, we asked if it was supposed to be cold. The lady replied that this was their buffet, and they had chicken, beef, beans etc. We asked again if it was supposed to be cold (we're newbies. We weren't sure. If that was how it was supposed to be, fine. I Â just wasn't in the mood for eating cold chicken and ground beef) but she just repeated what she'd just said. Ok, whatever. Feeling a bit embarrassed and uncomfortable, we shovelled some food onto our styrofoam plates, and headed to our table. I'm sorry, but NOTHING about the food was good - cold, really super bland, old-tasting. The injera was interesting, I guess, but it seemed like it should have been warm. Who knows?
I ate a few mouthfuls and was done. He went for a second plate but didn't really like anything.The server asked if everything was ok, and I said it would have been better if it was warm. She kinda laughed and walked away. Just as we were getting up to pay, another lady came out with little oil lamp candle things to put under the serving dishes. Sigh...
As it turned out, it was only $7 a person but I would have rather paid a few more bucks for something hot, fresh and satisfying (eg, a gyro from the place next door). I wouldn't rule out trying other Ethiopian restaurants but I sure as hell hope it's better than the meal today.
This restaurant shares a lot of characteristics similar to the other ethiopian restaurants in the area. Â Sparse decor, charming staff, a bar for the post-work crowd, and relaxed service at atmosphere. Â The food here, in my opinion, is great. Â They feature many of the same dishes you'll find at all of the other ethiopian places. Â One wrinkle, they serve some delightful green beans. Â Overall, the food is less greasy than the standard, which is good in my opinion. Â In addition, their plates are not as heavily spiced as their nearby competition, allowing for me to enjoy the subtle flavors of ethiopian spices. Â We got the meat and veggie combo, a cornucopia a delightful treats. Â One dish will easily stuff two people, a great deal for merely $17. Â I will definitely be back.
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