Selam

Wow... I have been to many good Ethiopian restaurants and this could definitely be the one with the best food. A minor issue was that we went late and they had run out of injera, so our choices were French bread or rice. That issue notwithstanding, the meal was excellent. Too bad I forgot to take some pictures, but they would not have captured the taste anyway! An unexpected bonus was that their prices are also very reasonable for the area!

Loved the food and the service. We sat outside and enjoyed our dinner.

REALLY good Ethiopian. My go-to for Ethiopian was Zeni and Walia, but this will be my new primary. The veggie combo was so well done and the perfect amount of spice. I also tried the beef jerky dish but don't recommend that. The restaurant is no frills, but the service is great. I will be back!

Oh my goodness, I cannot even tell you have a good this food was! The vegetarian combo is actually vegan and got two portions to take to the park with a friend. Everything was so delightful and flavorful but one of the dishes was creamy tomato-based and I’ve been thinking about it for the last couple days! Also, I really appreciate the freshness and quality of the injera. They provided plenty and rolled them up in smaller pieces to make portion control easy. A+

I’ve had a TON of Ethiopian food across the US. This is literally my favorite spot and I genuinely believe should be a Michelin start resto based on food quality. Ask if chef Elsa is cooking if it’s your first time. I’m moving soon and so so sad to leave Selam. Have eaten it 1-2x a week the last 2.5 years and I live 30 mins away. No joke. Also, they’re really good people. If they accidentally misunderstand your order, just tell them and they’ll make it right. They haven’t raised prices since I started going. They are so consistent with quality and quantity. I’ve actually never eaten at the restaurant so this is just for takeout. Gluten free injera is a big plus for me as well!

Great food i like the veggie options

Clean and friendly, and the generous vegetarian platter fed two, with leftovers. A great price for an amazingly pretty and tasty meal. Surprise favorite was the beets. I don't usually like them, but these were wonderful. Peas and lentils and injeera were delicious. And the greens were heavenly. Can't wait to go back!

Amazing food! We ordered from here for NYE dinner and we could not have been happier with the food. Some members of my family had never tried Ethiopian food before and they loved it too. Will definitely be ordering again!

I’ve eaten a lot of Ethiopian food, and this might have been the best! Veggie combo + beef ribs 🤤🤤🤤 no frills decor and water in solo cups, only 5 things on the menu. It was perfect

Always delicious and soooo flavorful! We had the veggie combo and the lamb Thebes with salad, served on injera which soaks up the flavor. So yummy!!! Wonderful and friendly people! Recently open again for dining!

Yummy spicy Ethiopian food, great value for money, and a very amiable host. Update: a year later, it's still my go to Ethiopian food place. The food is not fancy or anything but the place has a cozy and homely vibe somehow. Great for takeout, for a casual intimate dinner conversation with your loved ones or a raucous time with friends!

Ordered mixed combo with lamb and veggie options, the food is delish. We tried Ethiopian coffee as well which tasted good.

Selam was wonderful. We ordered the kita firfir & it was delicious, made to order, & spicey just how we like it. Another plus is the dish didn't have a lot of salt. The atmosphere is very welcoming, as is the staff here. We will definitely return to try other dishes. Highly recommend!

Absolutely one of the best Ethiopian restaurants we've been to. The beef tibs were so tender and juicy. The vegetables were perfectly seasoned and the portions are huge. One dish is definitely 2 meals. And I have not seen prices this low for years ($20 for one meat and 3 veggies and a side salad). The service was great! They were very kind and attentive and were quick to refill our injera basket. Will definitely be visiting often.

Delicious food with friendly and quick service. Our preferred Ethiopian restaurant in the area has always been Zeni but Selam is an excellent option if you prefer something more low-key and less crowded. Highly recommend!

Beautiful people, welcoming vibes, and delicious food. Selam (ሰላም) means peace, and that’s exactly the feeling I felt here. ✨️

Amazing food!! We took the Miser Wot and Mushroom dulet. Both were spicy and very flavourful. Totally recommend this place for a soulful meal.

Low cost Ethiopian restaurant not far from Santana Row food was decent good and great tasting really good injeer bread You can also get beer here. Don’t expect high class seating but the food is well worth the visit

Me and my friend had the best experience here! The food was incredibly flavorful, there were so many different textures, and the portions were enormous. I’ve never had such a friendly and personable server. He made sure we had a fun time and introduced us to his aunt/the chef who was so sweet. If you’re in San Jose, you MUST visit Selam!

First time eating Ethiopian food. Very yummy and friendly service. Large portions to share. We ordered two dishes, split between 3 people. The teff (Ethiopian bread) was very different texture but still very good.

Food - Excellent Food!! Very flavorful. The lentils, greens, salads all very so simple yet elegant. Service - Excellent. Friendly owner/staff. They checked in on us. Ordered the vegetarian combo and mushroom tibs for 3 people. It was sufficient and satisfying from a quantity standpoint. Note to other customers - As a sign of respect, always finish the food you've ordered.

Perhaps the cheapest Ethiopian restaurant in San Jose (close to Santana Row) yet the best in San Jose in my opinion. I have visited many Ethiopian restaurants in San Jose and I found the food here to be more flavorful. I ordered the vegetable combination and it was fantastic.

Can I really not give 10 stars? My God, they would deserve every one. Every bite was devine. Hard to explain the joy of having amazingly tart injira, perfectly spiced vegetables, and delectable lentils. Can't wait to go back! Best find of the year.

Caroline

Absolutely one of the best Ethiopian restaurants we've been to. The beef tibs were so tender and juicy. The vegetables were perfectly seasoned and the portions are huge. One dish is definitely 2 meals. And I have not seen prices this low for years ($20 for one meat and 3 veggies and a side salad). The service was great! They were very kind and attentive and were quick to refill our injera basket. Will definitely be visiting often.

Marlena Simone

Beautiful people, welcoming vibes, and delicious food. Selam (ሰላም) means peace, and that’s exactly the feeling I felt here. ✨️

Chinmay S

Delicious food with friendly and quick service. Our preferred Ethiopian restaurant in the area has always been Zeni but Selam is an excellent option if you prefer something more low-key and less crowded. Highly recommend!

mounica naidu

Amazing food!! We took the Miser Wot and Mushroom dulet. Both were spicy and very flavourful. Totally recommend this place for a soulful meal.

Taufiq Habib

Low cost Ethiopian restaurant not far from Santana Row food was decent good and great tasting really good injeer bread You can also get beer here. Don’t expect high class seating but the food is well worth the visit

Kathleen Unson

Me and my friend had the best experience here! The food was incredibly flavorful, there were so many different textures, and the portions were enormous. I’ve never had such a friendly and personable server. He made sure we had a fun time and introduced us to his aunt/the chef who was so sweet. If you’re in San Jose, you MUST visit Selam!

Angie Childers

First time eating Ethiopian food. Very yummy and friendly service. Large portions to share. We ordered two dishes, split between 3 people. The teff (Ethiopian bread) was very different texture but still very good.

Nikita

Food - Excellent Food!! Very flavorful. The lentils, greens, salads all very so simple yet elegant. Service - Excellent. Friendly owner/staff. They checked in on us. Ordered the vegetarian combo and mushroom tibs for 3 people. It was sufficient and satisfying from a quantity standpoint. Note to other customers - As a sign of respect, always finish the food you've ordered.

Gopal Venkatesan

Perhaps the cheapest Ethiopian restaurant in San Jose (close to Santana Row) yet the best in San Jose in my opinion. I have visited many Ethiopian restaurants in San Jose and I found the food here to be more flavorful. I ordered the vegetable combination and it was fantastic.

SV Enterprises

Can I really not give 10 stars? My God, they would deserve every one. Every bite was devine. Hard to explain the joy of having amazingly tart injira, perfectly spiced vegetables, and delectable lentils. Can't wait to go back! Best find of the year.

Highly recommend, especially the lamb and veg combo with red lentils, cabbage, potato, and lamb tibs. I come here when I’m too exhausted from work and need something quick, spicy, and reminds me of my mother’s food. The men at the counter are always kind, friendly, and respectful. I enjoy watching the news or NBA games while I’m waiting.

I love this place so much that I want to gatekeep it. I am a regular patron of this restaurant. The food is delicious and reasonably priced. The decor is not fancy, and the service is often slow, but the server is always polite and helpful. There are a lot of Ethiopian uncles at any given time having beers and chit chatting, and they're always very friendly and helpful. They have amazing tea and coffee. The tea is mild, spiced and without milk and tastes heavenly on cold days. The latte is $2.50, which is a such a deal for the bay area and it's better than many $6 lattes I have had. You can actually taste the coffee in that as opposed to it being overwhelmed by milk.

My first time having Ethiopian. It was delicious. The worker gave me advice and answered questions as best he could. But the food was fun and tasty.

Was craving Ethiopian food and wanted to try a new restaurant- so glad I found Selam because I'll definitely be adding them to my rotation! Not only did Selam have fantastic food, but the service was amazing. My friend and I lost track of time while catching up, and they never rushed us even after they already closed. We ordered the vegetarian combo + kitfo per their recommendation (akin to a beef tartare). I loved how diverse the vegetarian combo was, flavors in a set usually blend into eachother, but each dish held its own here with various spices and textures- it was so fun to eat! The butter from the kitfo added richness without being overpowering, I'd get this again to share with a larger party. Portion sizes are huge- we ended up having enough leftovers for another meal. Thanks Selam for the great meal, I'll be back to try the telba wot, doro wot, and house honey wine!!!

I LOVE visiting various cities and trying the "vegan sampler platter". Selam has one, and it is excellent! In addition, the prices seem quite fair considering San Jose is somewhat expensive. Next time I visit I am planning to come back for the Doro Wat.

A rare place where you can find authentic Ethiopian taste. The food preserves the true native flavors. Highly recommended

Great Ethiopian food. More subtle flavors; generous servings & very delicious vegetarian platter. Highly recommended.

Dana Dornsife

A rare place where you can find authentic Ethiopian taste. The food preserves the true native flavors. Highly recommended

Amit Jain

Great Ethiopian food. More subtle flavors; generous servings & very delicious vegetarian platter. Highly recommended.

Daryl McCray

I LOVE visiting various cities and trying the "vegan sampler platter". Selam has one, and it is excellent! In addition, the prices seem quite fair considering San Jose is somewhat expensive. Next time I visit I am planning to come back for the Doro Wat.

Shelley Byron

Highly recommend, especially the lamb and veg combo with red lentils, cabbage, potato, and lamb tibs. I come here when I’m too exhausted from work and need something quick, spicy, and reminds me of my mother’s food. The men at the counter are always kind, friendly, and respectful. I enjoy watching the news or NBA games while I’m waiting.

maria nguyen

My first time having Ethiopian. It was delicious. The worker gave me advice and answered questions as best he could. But the food was fun and tasty.

J M

Selam was wonderful. We ordered the kita firfir & it was delicious, made to order, & spicey just how we like it. Another plus is the dish didn't have a lot of salt. The atmosphere is very welcoming, as is the staff here. We will definitely return to try other dishes. Highly recommend!

Shreya B

I love this place so much that I want to gatekeep it. I am a regular patron of this restaurant. The food is delicious and reasonably priced. The decor is not fancy, and the service is often slow, but the server is always polite and helpful. There are a lot of Ethiopian uncles at any given time having beers and chit chatting, and they're always very friendly and helpful. They have amazing tea and coffee. The tea is mild, spiced and without milk and tastes heavenly on cold days. The latte is $2.50, which is a such a deal for the bay area and it's better than many $6 lattes I have had. You can actually taste the coffee in that as opposed to it being overwhelmed by milk.

Good food relaxed atmosphere. Hopefully they will add hibiscus drink to their menu

Fantastic food. Service was not great, and it took almost an hour for food to be delivered. Still, I’d come back.

We were craving for Ethiopian delight. We fell back to our usual Zeni which has not been opened for dine-in since COVID-19. Yelp wasn't particularly helpful by letting us reserve a table with waitlist and when we got, it was only open for togo. Nevertheless the person inside Zeni recommended another place close by, Selam to try ou for dine in. Selam had outdoor seating only. Ordered our usual combo, which was very close to our liking with a twist of a new lentil curry in addition to yemisir-wot. That had unique flavor to it (distinct from yemisir-wot red sauce base) and whitened really nice for our palate. Overall food and service was good. Unfortunately our experience was bit spoiled by folks smoking around, so half way we made the rest to go. Once this place opens indoor dining, we'll definitely visit again for the couple of unique dishes. Keep up the good vibe!!

Really lovely family run Ethiopia restaurant! Yummy food and friendly staff would definitely recommend this place!

Prax Chandra

We were craving for Ethiopian delight. We fell back to our usual Zeni which has not been opened for dine-in since COVID-19. Yelp wasn't particularly helpful by letting us reserve a table with waitlist and when we got, it was only open for togo. Nevertheless the person inside Zeni recommended another place close by, Selam to try ou for dine in. Selam had outdoor seating only. Ordered our usual combo, which was very close to our liking with a twist of a new lentil curry in addition to yemisir-wot. That had unique flavor to it (distinct from yemisir-wot red sauce base) and whitened really nice for our palate. Overall food and service was good. Unfortunately our experience was bit spoiled by folks smoking around, so half way we made the rest to go. Once this place opens indoor dining, we'll definitely visit again for the couple of unique dishes. Keep up the good vibe!!

Balachander Padmanabha

Really lovely family run Ethiopia restaurant! Yummy food and friendly staff would definitely recommend this place!

Now I'm not familiar with Ethiopian food at all, but seeing the good reviews on Google got me interested. I don't know if what I had wasn't good, but the meal was bland and overtly raw even for a rare. The meat was completely uncooked and just spicy. The customer service was practically out the window as well. The employees spent a lot of the time just talking to each other.

Not sure how they got this rate. But the place has so many problems going on which they never been fixed. - No Ac inside (bring your own). the place is extremely hot and you can’t enjoy food there. They never turned AC on at all. - no toilet papers, (none operative). - dirty background by the cashier food area. All the cups, coffee areas and so on. - every time they serve, there are no napkins provided even when you ask sometimes they say they don’t have it. - tables usually dirty from the previous customers, they don’t clean it right away. - flies all over. - outside sanitizer never works terrible. I don’t recommend this place, may be only to go. I hope owner will improve it all.

This review is only for one food item which is SHIRO with teff enjera. I have heard from a lot of friends admiring the shiro dish and so it was in my mind to try it. And so, One Friday, while I was thinking what to eat, I remembered and so happily I ordered. I was so hungry and in a hurry to get my food and eat it. Oh boy was I disappointed? Absolutely. First of, the onion(a lot) in the shiro is raw and so annoying cuz I felt like I am eating a salsa. I know we habesha's love onlions in our food. but we usually makulalat it. I didn't order a doro but a shiro so that much of shinkurt in a shiro and raw is never seen. Second the taste is not great too. I mean come on all the people who said the shiro is amazing at this place. have you guys ate shiro before? lol, I eat shiroye in a different version and quite often but what they sold me for $15 is unidentified and doesn't qualify as Ethiopian or Eritrean food. Lastly, the teff enjera, I don't even know what to say about it. ayin yelewim, tawirual lol. omg how come everything about my order can be wrong when I was so hungry and so excited :D anyway, I believe my trash can enjoyed it well. My advice to whom reading this, don't try shiro but anything else. I am not sure about the other dishes but definitely not the shiro.

I have had awesome Ethiopian food in some other restaurants. Sadly this place isn't one of them. The food was incredibly spicy and lacked any distinct flavor other than a ton of red chili. I drove from a far away place seeing good reviews. Very disappointed.

I am doing doordash,uber eats. I am coming here 9,10 times but order is not ready until i arrived and thats so bad for dashers because this is not good for our ratings. Everytimes they do like that.

We came in as a group of five at 10:45 AM—45 minutes after their posted opening time. After placing our food and coffee orders, we waited 35 minutes with no sign of either. We politely asked the waiter to check on it since one of us had to leave for work, and he said he’d take care of it. Another 15 minutes passed—still nothing. When we followed up again, we were told the chef wasn’t even there yet! Why weren’t we informed earlier? It was a complete waste of time and incredibly frustrating. Absolutely NOT recommended!

Trang Nguyen

We came in as a group of five at 10:45 AM—45 minutes after their posted opening time. After placing our food and coffee orders, we waited 35 minutes with no sign of either. We politely asked the waiter to check on it since one of us had to leave for work, and he said he’d take care of it. Another 15 minutes passed—still nothing. When we followed up again, we were told the chef wasn’t even there yet! Why weren’t we informed earlier? It was a complete waste of time and incredibly frustrating. Absolutely NOT recommended!