Cafe Romanat

Delicious food, fresh enjira, fresh flax seed juice, wonderful service. Everything AMAZING. Gt rhe veggie sampler plus lamb ribs and thank me later.

Tasty well presented food with friendly staff. Service was a little slow to get greet the table but we were busy chatting for a good 10 minutes before noticing. Otherwise, we were happy customers!

Spectacular. Delicious. I’ve lived all over this country and this is honestly the best Ethiopian food I have ever had. The staff are also incredibly kind and thoughtful and hard-working. Go here. You won’t regret it.

Great place, with many vegetarian options!

Great little neighborhood spot! The food is fresh and flavorful. It’s one of those hole-in-the-wall places that I’m glad I finally tried out. I appreciate how you can customize the combo platters to the size of your party— lots of places only deal in huge servings, which can be wasteful and overwhelming. But Cafe Romanat keeps high quality with reasonable servings. I’ll definitely be back.

The veggie combo at this place was fantastic. The collard greens, usually my least favorite part of Ethiopian food, were surprisingly good, well seasoned and melt-in-your-mouth soft. The shiro was also great and super flavorful. I will be back.

This place is great. Staff are super friendly and the food is amazing.

I love that my local Ethiopian restaurant is also one of the best I've ever had! FYI base spice level is moderate for some one like me with a sensitive plate... Not mild.

Awesome food and friendly service. Like most places in the area, I recommend parking at the Trader Joe's and walking over if you can. I got the three seed smoothie, and it was so good!! I shared the meat and veggie combo with a friend, and it was more than enough food for two of us. I am excited to go back and try the coffee ceremony.

The food is great, you can taste the freshness in all the ingredients. Presentation of the dishes are a delight. The service is warm & subtle yet timely. The atmosphere is smooth and charming. And the coffee here, well that's another conversation (And personally I am not a coffee drinker either). You'll just have to experience it for yourself:) I rate this place on a scale with all three area of food, service, atmosphere in mind. They easily pass all three. It's no wonder they've been Michelin rated. Cafe Romanat is worth making a trip out of the way for.

Very nice, family run restaurant. Clean flavorful food, good service and nice atmosphere. My family and I enjoyed this place alot and will be back! My 4 year old has been to other Ethiopian restaurants but this was the first one she really liked and dug into the food with us!

We are regulars. This is one of our favorite restaurants in Oakland. We like the vegetarian combo and veggie sambusa. The staff are very friendly and attentive. The food is excellent. The ambiance is calm and relaxing.

Had the honor of checking out Cafe Romanat over the weekend, and it was such an experience! As soon as you walk in, the owner Adey greets you, & makes you feel like home! It doesn’t feel like you’re stepping into a restaurant, but like a family home! Great, attentive service, along with amazing drinks, & food! To anyone who would love to try traditional Ethiopian cuisine, with a side of great service, & drinks, check out this place! You’ll be telling all your friends and family to stop by for a bite to eat!

Great food and service. My family and I loved it. Their Injera is nice and fluffy and the Doro Wat was my favorite but both veggie and meat dishes there were great.

Undefeated in East Bay, this place is always delicious, the service always friendly and the atmosphere calming and warm. I highly recommend the veggie and meat combo with doro derek tibs! And a super seed smoothie!

The people who run this place don't sell food, they provide medicine nurtured with love. You can feel the kind love energy when you walk into this place. And the huge glass windows for ample people watching is such a plus. What a beautiful life we get to live. Blessings and abundance to all! P.S. don't freaking forget to get the sesame, flax, and sunflower smoothie! OMG, medicine never tasted so good and refreshing after spending time in the sun, honey bun!

I wasn’t previously familiar with the Ethiopian game, but that lamb hit me so deep down in my soul I wanted to cry easy five stars

Stopped in for an early dinner on a Tuesday evening. We had the honey wine, salad appetizer and meat and veggie combo entree. Loved the beef gomen and greens. The also have gluten free injera upon request :-)

I’ve been obsessively trying all the Ethiopian restaurants in Oakland. Romanat is awesome. We got the veggie combination dish - Delicious, piping hot, flavorful food. Their buticha on the salad is so good. The dine in atmosphere is homey and comfortable, great for a date or a group.

Ordered the veggie combo for pickup. The portion size was generous, and each dish was tender, flavorful, and fresh tasting, and not overly salty. Next time I’ll dine in and bring a friend to share. The space was sunny at mid day and smelled like a delicious mix of spices and incense.

Delicious Ethiopian cuisine, Being a vegetarian we were skeptical about the choices. To our surprise they had so many choices and yummy tasty food with warm cup of tea welcomes us..

Great Ethiopian place. Their platters are served in 1, 2, or 4 person portions, but we had 5 so we ordered a 1 person portion + a 4 person portion. A little confusing, but it worked. Anyways this place is quite nice inside, and the food was good. I wouldn’t say it was particularly amazing in comparison to other Ethiopian/Eritrean places in the Bay Area, but it was just as good as them. Definitely a solid pick for a small group of friends!

Delicious food, friendly service, clean bathrooms. Just fantastic. I recommend the veggie combo and vegetable sambussa.

First time trying Ethiopian food and it was amazing. Gorgeous place. We loved the decorations. There is a room that appears to be a scene from a coffee ceremony. So beautiful. I went with my friend and we were able to split one plate (alicha wot, if I remember correctly) and have leftovers. We also got the coffee. Both were great. Much love from Texas. If I return to Oakland, I will come back; otherwise I will recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

Had sambussa and it was delicious. I loved my sesame smoothie too. For main dish, tried mushroom tibs. You can order by the number of people. My sister and I split the single serving, with the appetizer, we were full. I only wish I had paid extra $2 to get the 100% tefe injera. Not that the default version was bad but just would’ve been tastier and healthier. Good place for vegans & vegetarians who are bored with the usual continental food. Follow me on Instagram @the_half_glass for travel diary/photos/tips

Febs

Had the honor of checking out Cafe Romanat over the weekend, and it was such an experience! As soon as you walk in, the owner Adey greets you, & makes you feel like home! It doesn’t feel like you’re stepping into a restaurant, but like a family home! Great, attentive service, along with amazing drinks, & food! To anyone who would love to try traditional Ethiopian cuisine, with a side of great service, & drinks, check out this place! You’ll be telling all your friends and family to stop by for a bite to eat!

Hannah Montroy

Great food and service. My family and I loved it. Their Injera is nice and fluffy and the Doro Wat was my favorite but both veggie and meat dishes there were great.

Naj B

Undefeated in East Bay, this place is always delicious, the service always friendly and the atmosphere calming and warm. I highly recommend the veggie and meat combo with doro derek tibs! And a super seed smoothie!

J K

I wasn’t previously familiar with the Ethiopian game, but that lamb hit me so deep down in my soul I wanted to cry easy five stars

Jenny McGuckin

Stopped in for an early dinner on a Tuesday evening. We had the honey wine, salad appetizer and meat and veggie combo entree. Loved the beef gomen and greens. The also have gluten free injera upon request :-)

Jessica Wong

I’ve been obsessively trying all the Ethiopian restaurants in Oakland. Romanat is awesome. We got the veggie combination dish - Delicious, piping hot, flavorful food. Their buticha on the salad is so good. The dine in atmosphere is homey and comfortable, great for a date or a group.

Farhan B

The people who run this place don't sell food, they provide medicine nurtured with love. You can feel the kind love energy when you walk into this place. And the huge glass windows for ample people watching is such a plus. What a beautiful life we get to live. Blessings and abundance to all! P.S. don't freaking forget to get the sesame, flax, and sunflower smoothie! OMG, medicine never tasted so good and refreshing after spending time in the sun, honey bun!

Samuel Dudley

Ordered the veggie combo for pickup. The portion size was generous, and each dish was tender, flavorful, and fresh tasting, and not overly salty. Next time I’ll dine in and bring a friend to share. The space was sunny at mid day and smelled like a delicious mix of spices and incense.

ashrita badri narayanan

Delicious Ethiopian cuisine, Being a vegetarian we were skeptical about the choices. To our surprise they had so many choices and yummy tasty food with warm cup of tea welcomes us..

Colin Noel

Great Ethiopian place. Their platters are served in 1, 2, or 4 person portions, but we had 5 so we ordered a 1 person portion + a 4 person portion. A little confusing, but it worked. Anyways this place is quite nice inside, and the food was good. I wouldn’t say it was particularly amazing in comparison to other Ethiopian/Eritrean places in the Bay Area, but it was just as good as them. Definitely a solid pick for a small group of friends!

Alison M C

Delicious food, friendly service, clean bathrooms. Just fantastic. I recommend the veggie combo and vegetable sambussa.

Sav Stewart

First time trying Ethiopian food and it was amazing. Gorgeous place. We loved the decorations. There is a room that appears to be a scene from a coffee ceremony. So beautiful. I went with my friend and we were able to split one plate (alicha wot, if I remember correctly) and have leftovers. We also got the coffee. Both were great. Much love from Texas. If I return to Oakland, I will come back; otherwise I will recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

Had a fantastic meal at Cafe Romanat! My friend and I enjoyed the sambussa and the veggie and meat shiro combo. The staff were lovely and the food was delicious! I’ve been curious about this spot for years and I’m so glad I finally tried it. This is now my go to Ethiopian spot in Oakland. Can’t wait to go back!

Service was great! The food was SO good. I don’t know what is in that hummus but it is the best we’ve ever had. The spiced tea was nice and warm and loved the cozy lighting inside.

Lauren Phillips

Had a fantastic meal at Cafe Romanat! My friend and I enjoyed the sambussa and the veggie and meat shiro combo. The staff were lovely and the food was delicious! I’ve been curious about this spot for years and I’m so glad I finally tried it. This is now my go to Ethiopian spot in Oakland. Can’t wait to go back!

K

Service was great! The food was SO good. I don’t know what is in that hummus but it is the best we’ve ever had. The spiced tea was nice and warm and loved the cozy lighting inside.

Tomikia Necole Perkins

Cuisine it's absolutely delicious it's exactly what is expected from this beautiful country top tier excellent I personally had the Yebeg Tibs which is basically sauteed lamb with onions tomato and jalapenos. Over their native flatbread Injrea ❤️🤌💋

ANNETTE S

A friend suggested we meet here for lunch and the food and restaurant did not disappoint! Everyone in our group enjoyed the food. The restaurant has a very welcoming feeling. I plan to return here again to try other dishes on the menu

Decent Ethiopian food. My friend called beforehand to make sure they served gluten free injera but when we arrived they didn't have any in stock. They offered me more protein in my order as a compromise which I accepted. Before ordering, we asked for our food to be spicy but it was on the bland side. Food was decent but not the best Ethiopian food in the Bay. Server was nice.

Love all the vegan options! I got the veggie platter so I could try 4 of the options. But really wasn't super taken away by the food. One of the beans was good. And then the potatoes and carrots were yummy too. Next time I'll have to try the mushroom dish. But loved the place and ambiance and service.

Great food, nice atmosphere, helpful service, decent prices. The food came surprisingly fast. Likely helped to be there near opening time. I really like the authentic (I'm assuming) Ethiopian decor (seats, tea table) on one side of the restaurant. The seat looks like a milk crate with leather straps and it's seriously ergonomic and sturdy 🤓

Very flavorful and delicious food but I found the portion sizes quite small and was not full after dinner

I ordered only the vegetarian dishes at Cafe Romanat, and everything was excellent. The flavors were rich and comforting, and each stew tasted fresh and well seasoned. The injera was exceptional. Soft, tender, and perfectly tangy, it really made the meal. Service was warm and attentive. The space itself is modest and a bit worn, but the food and hospitality easily make up for it. A great spot for authentic Ethiopian cuisine.

I need to have Ethiopian food more often because I really love it. So far, this is my fourth try of this lovely cuisine since I moved to Oakland last year. Since 2016, I have tried Enssaro (Oakland), Lemat (Berkeley) and Massawa (San Fran) and had been really keen to try Cafe Romanat which is really close to our home. My cousin and I came here yesterday for dinner at about 8:30pm and place was half full, which is not bad for a Thursday night ;). Ample seating and beautiful interior decor makes me happy. The host promptly greeted us and gave us menus and water. We set our minds pretty quickly and shared: - fresh lemonade ($4) - veggie romanat salad ($8) - veggie combo platter for two ($28) Salad came first, followed by the combo platter which came with lots of injeera and last came lemonade (a tad late and we had to remind the host about it as she forgot). Service was relatively fast and super friendly. Menu has the right amount of options without being too much or too little and noticed they have lots of smoothies and fresh juices compared to the other places I have been to. Food was really good overall and portions were great - at the end we were really full. Injeera was so nice and soft and sour enough for my taste so I was thrilled - happy prego girl me! Pricewise I think they have done a good job apart from salads which I think are a bit overpriced. All in all, we paid 20$ each (excluding tip) which is not too bad and honestly we could have done without the salad for sure. Place is neat though they need to do better job in the bathroom as there was no soap at the end and the hand paper-towel was stuck. I look forward to come with my hubby and friends and try their meat combo and more from their menu :)

A nice ethiopian restaurant just near the highway and Grand Lake Theater. Their gomen and beef ribs were amazing, but I'd probably pass on the atalkit next time. We also ordered some spice tea and mead, very tasty. Stop by for a nice evening out, the place is clean and COVID compliant.

Casual place right off of Grand with delicious food. Everything had a bit more of a lemony/vinegary end taste than we've had in prior Ethiopian restaurants but in a pleasant way. There was plenty of injera and the shiro came in it's open little bubbling pot. Service was a little lax but friendly. Definitely would return.

Heliana Mano

I need to have Ethiopian food more often because I really love it. So far, this is my fourth try of this lovely cuisine since I moved to Oakland last year. Since 2016, I have tried Enssaro (Oakland), Lemat (Berkeley) and Massawa (San Fran) and had been really keen to try Cafe Romanat which is really close to our home. My cousin and I came here yesterday for dinner at about 8:30pm and place was half full, which is not bad for a Thursday night ;). Ample seating and beautiful interior decor makes me happy. The host promptly greeted us and gave us menus and water. We set our minds pretty quickly and shared: - fresh lemonade ($4) - veggie romanat salad ($8) - veggie combo platter for two ($28) Salad came first, followed by the combo platter which came with lots of injeera and last came lemonade (a tad late and we had to remind the host about it as she forgot). Service was relatively fast and super friendly. Menu has the right amount of options without being too much or too little and noticed they have lots of smoothies and fresh juices compared to the other places I have been to. Food was really good overall and portions were great - at the end we were really full. Injeera was so nice and soft and sour enough for my taste so I was thrilled - happy prego girl me! Pricewise I think they have done a good job apart from salads which I think are a bit overpriced. All in all, we paid 20$ each (excluding tip) which is not too bad and honestly we could have done without the salad for sure. Place is neat though they need to do better job in the bathroom as there was no soap at the end and the hand paper-towel was stuck. I look forward to come with my hubby and friends and try their meat combo and more from their menu :)

Bartholomew Roland

A nice ethiopian restaurant just near the highway and Grand Lake Theater. Their gomen and beef ribs were amazing, but I'd probably pass on the atalkit next time. We also ordered some spice tea and mead, very tasty. Stop by for a nice evening out, the place is clean and COVID compliant.

Alexandra Smith

Casual place right off of Grand with delicious food. Everything had a bit more of a lemony/vinegary end taste than we've had in prior Ethiopian restaurants but in a pleasant way. There was plenty of injera and the shiro came in it's open little bubbling pot. Service was a little lax but friendly. Definitely would return.

Solid Ethiopian cuisine. Lamb and chicken were a little dry and flavors were quite as bold as other places. Good and friendly service albeit a bit slow on a slow night. Doro wat was very temperature hot when it came out which was nice. Good local spot and decor nicer than most place. Very roomy dining restaurant. Its easy to relax.

Portions are smaller than other Ethiopian restaurants but prices are just as high. Nice environment, except for the staff's kid playing loud videos, that was so loud. It annoyed all of us. Menu says the veggie option has mushroom tips but that is wrong.

I ordered the veg combo. The collard greens and potato carrot dishes were very oily. The injera under the food was completely soaked in oil. It was just too gross to eat. Even the salad had excess oil. The service was slow even though they weren’t busy. I wouldn't mind the wait if the food was good. I’m not sure how this place has good reviews. I’ve been to a lot of Ethiopian places with much better, healthier food.

Since i pride myself on saying one nice thing every place i comment on i will say that the salad was great ,If i could give this place 0 stars i would . I brought my cousin here for a birthday. I got the honey wine it was not authentic, there was more honey than wine , and the portions were way to small . It was like tapas portion for dinner prices . There honestly was no flavor in the meal .

I ordered seven injera and waited for almost 30 minutes while the order status showed “preparing order.” Since the wait was unusually long, I called the restaurant and spoke to a man around 7:26 p.m. today (November 7, 2025). He assured me that the order was ready and that they were just waiting for the driver to pick it up. However, about 10 minutes later, when the driver arrived and asked for the order, they told her the item was out of stock. The same man who earlier told me it was ready then said, “Sorry, the item is out of stock because we were busy.” Clearly, they had my injera packed and decided to sell it to other customers who came in afterward. To make matters worse, they refused to cancel the order themselves and asked me to cancel it so they wouldn’t have to pay the cancellation fee. That’s completely irresponsible. When I contacted Uber support, I was told that I would be charged a cancellation fee even though the situation was entirely the restaurant’s fault. Because of this, my family’s dinner was ruined. After preparing our wot, we had to order other food instead. I will never buy anything from Café Romanat again. Honesty matters. Imagine selling an order that was already placed and confirmed, after keeping a customer waiting for nearly an hour. We would have ordered from another Ethiopian restaurant, but they were the only ones offering gluten-free injera. Lesson learned. If you try to get this comment removed, I'll provide every text message, receipt, chat with the drivers, etc. to Google.

Daniel W

I ordered seven injera and waited for almost 30 minutes while the order status showed “preparing order.” Since the wait was unusually long, I called the restaurant and spoke to a man around 7:26 p.m. today (November 7, 2025). He assured me that the order was ready and that they were just waiting for the driver to pick it up. However, about 10 minutes later, when the driver arrived and asked for the order, they told her the item was out of stock. The same man who earlier told me it was ready then said, “Sorry, the item is out of stock because we were busy.” Clearly, they had my injera packed and decided to sell it to other customers who came in afterward. To make matters worse, they refused to cancel the order themselves and asked me to cancel it so they wouldn’t have to pay the cancellation fee. That’s completely irresponsible. When I contacted Uber support, I was told that I would be charged a cancellation fee even though the situation was entirely the restaurant’s fault. Because of this, my family’s dinner was ruined. After preparing our wot, we had to order other food instead. I will never buy anything from Café Romanat again. Honesty matters. Imagine selling an order that was already placed and confirmed, after keeping a customer waiting for nearly an hour. We would have ordered from another Ethiopian restaurant, but they were the only ones offering gluten-free injera. Lesson learned. If you try to get this comment removed, I'll provide every text message, receipt, chat with the drivers, etc. to Google.