Rosalind’s Ethiopian Restaurant

Absolutely everything we ordered was amazing!
The honey wine was delicious and the server was incredibly helpful while patiently guiding us through the extensive menu

With a Groupon handy my girlfriend and I walked in to this establishment, ready to get our grub on. We have only had Ethiopian inspired food once before, and were happy we had the opportunity to do so again. We ordered a mixed vegetable platter and we also ordered a mixed meat platter which came with beef and lamb.
The plate came on a bed of injera, and also included salads and additional injera to grab the veggies and meat with. The flavors were really interesting and also complex, since we don’t have any other experiences with Ethiopian food in the area, I would have to say the food here is quite good. If I had one recommendation, it would be the lamb, which is number 11 on their menu.
The amount of food we ordered was good for at least three people, as portions are quite filling here. If you’re looking for an opportunity to try new foods you haven’t before, I would recommend coming to this establishment, especially with a Groupon deal.
The only reason my personal experience was not 5 stars, was because the service was kind of slow at times. I often had to remind the waitress to fill our waters, which can be a pet peeve of mine.

If you are near little Ethiopia or just craving Ethiopian food this is the place to go! Seriously their food is super delicious! I always get number 6 on their dinner menu which is called key wot (with beef meat); it has a tasty sauce and tender beef. Number 10 called yebeg tibs is lamb with fried onions and jalapeños. Those are our top two selections whenever we come by to eat which is like always. Also worthy of mentioning: their injera tastes better than some of the other Ethiopian restaurants near by.
It would be great is they served Ethiopian coffee though :(
Note: Do not eat outside the restaurant where their little patio is because a lot of flies get attracted to your food, unfortunately!
The servers are really friendly! I love the pictures and decorations they have inside.
You can also call and order the food for pickup. I hope you enjoy this place as much as we do :)

I am a fan of Ethiopian food, but Rosalind’s left a bad taste in my mouth. I came here with a Groupon and was very disappointed with the service. The restaurant was empty during the weekend (I came for lunch) and yet my group and I had to wait an unreasonably long time for someone to even approach us. We were seated and quite frankly treated very coldly by the server. We let her know we had a Groupon which made the service even worse. There are a lot of friendlier and more attentive Ethiopian restaurants nearby, and I will chose to patronize those instead in the future.

I love Rosalind’s veggie combo! Plus they have gluten free injera upon request for an extra charge. The pilli-​pilli sauce that comes with the akara is also amazing. And the servers are so nice and helpful with the menu. Beautiful interior, too. One of my favorite restaurants in LA!

I used to go to Nyala for 10+ years but Nyala is now closed.
I decided to give it a try for Rosalind.
It was good!
Had Vegi combo, Meat Combo #3 and fish for 2 adult 2 children.
I never had fish at Ethiopian restaurant but it was crispy fried and really yummy.
We’ll come back soon.

Ethiopian food is not my frequent go to but there are days where I would like some sour tasting bread (injera) and eat with my hands. Rosalind is in the middle of Little Ethiopia and surrounded by many other Ethiopian restaurants. It is very nicely decorated with these huts inside. There is also a bar that look like it might be a fun place with alcohol and a stage. It is however a bit expensive but there is always a groupon (definitely look for it online or on Unilocal deal). The ladies working here are nice and great with service.
I’m in love with their sambusa (definitely a 5 stars). It was fresh with very thin and crispy wrapper. The jalepeno in the lentil filling add great spiciness and just my kind of flavor. Plus the sambusa is giant (one order came with 3 sambusa — one for each person at my table)
We all loved the vegetable combo. I find the lamb stew to be a bit chunky and chewy. The lamb was cut a bit too big and did not soak in the flavor. The beef stew was yummy and I do love the egg that come with it.

This is my first time experiencing Ethiopian food, so I cannot speak to the authenticity of this restaurant. As we walked in on an early Saturday night, the place was empty. We sat down and were approached quickly by wait staff. The service was efficient but lacked any warmth. It also seemed as though we were being somewhat rushed through the meal.
We ordered the meat (beef and lamb) and vegetable combos ($ 14.95 and $ 15.95), in order to try many different things at once. The food is delivered on one large piece of injera (sourdough-​risen flatbread with a unique, slightly spongy texture). Small, individual pieces are also served along side to ‘scoop’ up the food, instead of using utensils. It was a lot of food for 2 to share. The meats were basically stewed and the beef was extremely spicy, as were some of the vegetable options such as collard greens, cabbage, and hummus. I did not find any ‘stand out’ option that I would want to order again.
Although unique and interesting, this type of food is not something I would prefer to eat on a regular basis. And now that I’ve tried it, it probably will be my last.
parking — metered or very limited, free street parking

Great restaurant!
The food never change I love it service much improved I really enjoyed the music on Friday night keep up the great atmosphere

My usual Ethiopian restaurant, Nyala, was closed, so I quickly Unilocaled =) and found a plan B dinner restaurant: Rosalind’s.
The atmosphere is pretty great, especially since they light candles on each table and then dim the lights for dinner. My bf and I were both about to tell the hostess that we wanted the outdoor patio, until we stepped into the restaurant and became drawn to the wonderful smell of incense inside. It was such an addictive scent! Fyi: there is also a karaōke bar inside… I am not sure if that is a good or bad thing!
In terms of food, you get highly aromatic spiced meats, seafood, greens, and lentils; this is why I love Ethiopian food! The meat is melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender. If you are unsure of what you want, try the combination plates so you can taste everything. #11 (lamb) is my favorite there! MmmmMmmm. Be sure to order a glass of honey wine with your food — you won’t regret it. The lightly sweet essence of honey wine is a perfect pairing to the spices in the food.
So the food was great and so was the ambience, but the service was what hurt them. The servers were not rude, but they weren’t nice either. I think our server only smiled when she handed me the bill. They were not busy at the time we got there (6pm), by the way. There was another server there at the time who also did not smile, ever. Oh well, it’s like eating at an authentic Chinese restaurant, I suppose. You go for the great food, not the service.
I will definitely come here again, especially since my usual Ethiopian place may be closed indefinitely.

This is very solid restaurant located within the popular Little Ethiopian Row on Fairfax. We always sit at the same table, with pillows against our backs, we always order the Vegan Platters, and Connie, who is as sweet & kind as can be, is always our waitress. Been here at least 5 times for dinner and we always leave happy, full & fulfilled… with leftovers too!
*ps* lots more bang for your buck if you purchase a Unilocal or Groupon Deal

I bought the $ 10 for $ 20 Unilocal deal and the owner rejected it. The server told us the reason was it was Ethiopian National Day and there were too many people around that day. Strange, as the restaurant was half empty. Slightly annoyed that I spent time purchasing the voucher, discussing it, and would now have to spend time refunding it, inquired about lunch specials. Server then told us lunch specials end at 3:00PM. I checked my watch and it was 3:00PM.
I normally ignore low ratings related to service when it comes to ethnic restaurants, but the poor service I experienced at Rosalind’s compelled me to write this review. I prefer the food at Merkato anyway.

Found this gem on Groupon and decided it’s time for something other than Persian food! I wanted to try something else without breaking the bank or regretting not have gone to my usual spot. Ended up in Little Ethiopia, couldn’t have been anywhere else! Metered parking, so that takes care of parking. As you look around you will find Ethiopian restaurants one after another. Make sure you come to Rosalind’s!
Met the owner and she was the sweetest and most attentive. She welcomed is and treated her customers as guests. Definitely come here for the vibe, ambiance and experience! I am NOT a fan of local chain restaurants! For under $ 25 bucks and with a Groupon we enjoyed a really delicious and cheap meal! I would definitely recommend this place! Bring friends and family as portion sizes are filling and the experience is awesome to share!

Awesome food and awesome atmosphere. They had live music the Friday night I went there, and it was fantastic. I love that they’re open late, and you have the option of sitting at the bar, at the adjacent dining room, or out on the patio.
The injera was wonderfully sour, and went so well with the lamb and beef dishes. The beef was my stand-​out favorite — I’ll never know how they develop the deep, rich, flavors and spices to make it so tender and flavorful. The whole fried fish was perfection.
The cocktails were incredibly strong — so strong I needed to water them down, which I mean, if that’s your thing, is great. But the food alone is enough to keep me coming back!

Thank god for Groupon because i wouldnt pay $ 40 worth for the food and service here.
We arrived at 8pm and the food didnt come until almost 10:30pm! It was a big group but geeze there has to be some sort of better process to serve 20 people. especially when you know a big group will be coming to your restaurant.
The food itself was not very appetizing, i would say the vegetarian combo at $ 16 a plate was probably the only thing worth trying if you are just curious what Ethiopian food is. I guess the novelty of it all is eating with your hands. but you can eat French Fries or chicken wings with your hands too!
Just not worth the wait in my books.
While dining there was a live band performing, at times it was way too loud to have a conversation with even the person sitting next to you! I personally probably wouldnt be coming back. even if it’s for someone’s birthday!

Wow! First time Ethiopian food and certainly not our last! Pleasantly surprised with the food. Didn’t expect it to be so good. I did my research beforehand and looked at many pictures so I could get an idea of what I wanted to try.
There were 10 of us, one of who’s uncle owns the joint… so he ordered for all of us… great! We started with a great simple light salad that I really enjoyed! Next, Sambrusa, which are like samosas and are filled with lentils and great spices. Big and yummy! Then 3 platters of yumminess filled with meat, chicken, and vegetables. All to be scooped up with injara (spelling???), an Ethiopian sponge-​like bread. And fried whole trout with lime. Really good!!! Everyone enjoyed everything on the plate… wasn’t one thing we didn’t like. We will be back! Oh we had Ethiopian beer too!

Came here a little while ago with a groupon deal I had received.
This place is charming and right in the middle of Little Ethiopia. They say they open at 11am but they weren’t super on time. Just a few minutes late but that’s fine.
We tried a few of the combination platters and the food was all very good. Ethiopian food tends to be pretty heavy and can expand in your stomach with the injera bread — so eat fast if you can! :)
Good flavors, clean restaurant, outdoor seating available. Will go back.

I love ethiopian food. So I was super excited to take my family when they were in town. Living social had a sale so we decided to buy one for Rosalind’s.
The service was good and we decided to order the vegetarian combination, meat combo, and awase tibbs. Portion sizes were extremely small. Everything was decent but not as good as I’ve had at other places. The coupon made the prices bearable but I would prefer to just go to Awash.

Youll find that most places i go to are because i bought a groupon late at night. This is no different. I have had ethiopian food before and really was not a fan but i wanted to give it a second try.
We had bit of trouble getting some service. I think its very similar to asian service in that its not super attentive but not because theyre rude, just because thats just how it is. They were super nice when they came to take our order but dont expect any kind of stellar 20% tip service.
We ordered the sambussa, yam balls, awaze tibs (beef tenderloin) and the meat combination 2 which has beef and chicken. Also, since that was all under our $ 40 groupon, we threw in a honey wine which i absolutely LOVED. I dont even like most wines but this tasted just like liquid honey. Super addicting.
Our appetizers were super good! The yam balls were super savory and had a bit of a kick. They were served with a side of sauteed cabbage. Great combo!
Our entrees were DELISH! Super redeemed Ethiopian food for me. The beef entrees were my favorite. Very flavorful and tender. Definitely loved the number 6 and the awaze tibs felt like Ethiopian fajitas in a weird way. I loved that they included some veggies so that it wasnt too heavy. Absolutely in food heaven.
If youre going to do Ethiopian, go here without a doubt!

(Review based on 3.5 stars)
Wash Your Hands! (Yes after you touch the menu and right before you eat) Ethiopian food traditionally is meant to be consumed with your hands (rarely are utensils used) and use pieces of injera (spongy like flat bread) to pick up food. Eating with your hands is a fun and different experience (I am not a newb to Ethiopian food by the way).
Anyways, Rosalind’s is located in little Ethiopia with only street (metered) parking. But you may be able to find (free) street parking on Orange Grove Ave (residential, about 1 block away). But if you park here, make sure you read the signs to avoid getting a ticket.
My husband and I came by this past Sunday night around 6:30 pm with plenty of tables available. We were acknowledged by an employee (whom I think may be the owner or manager) and seated at a table. After browsing through the menu, we got:
#13 Vegetarian Combination ($ 15.95 prior to tax) — I asked to have this mild but our server told me that it is already cooked but is only a little spicy for some of the items. I was a little surprised that everything was already cooked since I have been to other Ethiopian restaurants in the past where they will cook the food to the mild spice level I have requested. But anyways, this combination comes with collard greens, chick peas, yellow split pea, red lentils, cabbage and green beans. The collard greens are a bit bland (and seem to be bland at other Ethiopian restaurants) and the red lentils had a bit of spice to it (my spicy eating husband didn’t think it was spicy). My favorite was the cabbage, yellow split pea and the green beans. This dish was very filling and plenty of food for 2 – 3 people.
#1 Adulus Special Tibs ($ 16.95 prior to tax) — My husband ordered this and was served on the same injera bread plate (our server asked if we are sharing or would need a separate plate). The beef was tender and tasty, had a great flavor of spices.
We both were served a simple salad before our entrees (which was a nice surprise). The dressing used was light, but just a bit much. I would probably ask for the dressing on the side if I come back next time.
— — — — — — — — –
(Total $ 40 with tax and tip).
Portions are plenty so we took leftovers home (it was nice that our server brought us extra injera when requested a box to go). Service was minimal, we got our water glasses refilled twice during our meal. I would say that prices for the food seems to be a little higher than other Ethiopian restaurants I have been to.
One thing I really did not like about our dining experience was towards the end, after I paid the bill. Our server was in such a rush to have us leave (which I found out later that another couple, who had just came in, wanted to sit at our table for some reason).
After paying for the bill, I was not ready to leave yet and was about to head towards the back of the restaurant to wash my hands in the women’s restroom before leaving. Our server thought we were leaving and she told me to «take your purse» (she probably thought I was going to forget it) and then walked towards the couple at the other table telling them the table will be ready for them soon. Our server was surprised that I was not leaving and right behind her, heading towards the restroom.
As soon as I came back to our table, it was already cleared of the dirty dishes. Then as soon as we got up to leave, our server was already trying to move the couple to our table. For being rushed, I just had to deduct one star for that.
Overall, the food was good and service was acceptable (up until the check came). I would consider coming here again.
By the way, there is outdoor covered seating in case you want to dine here with your 4 legged friend (s).