Sunset Cafe

What an amazing place this turned out to be. Great food. the owner, Sunny, was very friendly n helpful. We tried the sambusa and the sunset combo. The portions are huge and everything is yummy. Our new fav place!

I have been to almost all the Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle and Washington, DC area. This is THE ABSOLUTE BEST food. It’s a literally a hole in the wall that I can imagine Anthony Bourdain raving about. Owner «Sunny» is kind and generous and incredibly friendly. It’s a true gem of Pacific Northwest!

We are so grateful to have found this place. This is now my favorite Ethiopian place, and it’s close to my house. Yes! Friendliest service I’ve experienced and the veggie combo had ten different items, and with two of us hungry, we had plenty to bring home. The injera was so light and delicious like I haven’t experienced before. Ten thumbs up

we were there last weekend! i love this place so much i want it for my self. my life has changed after eating here… the wots are to die for! Sunny is the nicest person. do the coffee, cant wait to go back!!!

Was at the museum of flight and looking for some ethnic food. Saw this place had 100+ reviews and five stars. The owner Sonny is very kind with it being a one woman show. Ordered the meat combo and for $ 14 with two people later we left stuffed! Don’t let the outside fool you, this place is a real one of a kind treat!

Word of advice first on size. A combo is good for two people. We were hungry and still got stuffed. And it’s so cheap!!!
The food. It’s delicious. Obviously made fresh and with care everyday. I don’t care what a place looks like on the outside if the food is amazing. And the food is amazing! Got the meat combo and I swear we wolfed everything down. Each dish was spiced just right. Nothing overbearing. But they all had a nice after kick.

Best Ethiopian food we’ve had and super friendly service! Awesome meal. We will definitely be back!

So amazing!
I had the meat combo and it was def the best ethiopian food I’ve had in a long time.
Will go back!

My pregnant wife has been craving East African food recently. So I decided to take her to Sunset Café — the portions here are HUGE so we shared a meat combination. Great service, great food!

We had a 5 ½ hour layover at SeaTac on our way back home to Honolulu Int’l, and decided to take advantage of the several hours by leaving the airport. We attempted to navigate the light rail, but did so not very successfully, though that was mostly because we had no idea where we were going and were just winging it; after about ten minutes at a random station and much Googling, we found Sunset Café and decided to call an Über to take us there.
My group was a little sketched out upon first arriving. Take this with a grain of salt — but I’ve been blessed enough in my life to frequent nicer, more upscale neighborhoods the majority of my life, and this part of Seattle seemed a little shady at first. I’m very glad that we gave it a chance, though — we all ultimately decided that this little joint had good reviews, and some of the best food are little hole in the wall establishments, so we decided to just go for it.
Upon entering, the restaurant was dimly lit and pretty empty, only two other people in the entire place. There were some incenses burning on the ground and a green-​lit bar at the back, but we didn’t see anyone at first, no hostess or anything. We kind of stood around awkwardly at first, then a lady came out from the back and told us to sit anywhere. We did, all exchanging unsure glances, not sure of what we had just gotten ourselves into. She returned with a tray of four glasses, a pitcher of water, and menus. None of us knew what any of the stuff on the menu was, but there was enough of a description on each one to make a decision on what to get.
My husband and his friend each ordered the Sunset Combo, while another friend went with #37 Doro Wot. I chose #39, Que Wott. My husband also started with Hambusha w/​Tea as an appetizer. I couldn’t tell you if it was slow service or not; we weren’t in a rush, but it did seem to be a one woman show in there, as the nice lady taking our orders was also assisting the other table and going back to do all of the cooking. The Hambusha was an interesting bread, and the tea was delicious, but super spicy, like black pepper. We had never had a tea like that before. It was weird, but delicious.
When the food came out, my husband and his friend realized they probably could have split the Sunset Combo as it is HUGE. Come to think of it, I probably could have split my plate with someone. The food portions are large, served on a bed of this light, airy, spongey bread that I came to find was called Injera bread. The lady, who I presume from other reviews is Sunny, the owner/​waitress/​cook (I told you, it’s a one woman show!), explained what she was pouring onto our Injera bread as she did so, and then what each thing on the Sunset Combo was to my husband and his friend. Always eager to experience new cultures, I found online that scooping the meat with the Injera bread in your right hand is the «right» way to do it. I hope the internet was right, lol. Anyways, that’s what we did, and it was delicious. Sunny brought us extra Injera bread for our plates, so you could scoop with that but still also have some delicious saucy bread leftover once the meat was eaten.
I regret to say that I could not finish my entire plate. It was fantastic. A little spicy, but not overly so, even with chapped lips and a sore throat from our adventures on the east coast in the cold weather. The lamb was so tender and flavorful, the bread was a slightly weird consistency and a little tangy but it just all complimented so well. We were overly impressed with the food, loved the aura of the joint, and Sunny was absolutely amazing in tending to our needs but cooking and presenting the food as well. She offered to box up our food for us to take, but we sadly decided against it due to having to head back to the airport for another 6 hour flight. She told us to come back and visit, and I told her that if we were ever in Seattle again, that we definitely would. I absolutely hope to keep good on my word and look forward to returning here if I am ever back in Seattle. We caught an Über back to the airport and made our flight with plenty of time; all in all it turned out perfectly and this was definitely an experience worth having!

I’ve been to several Ethiopian restaurants however Sunset Café is the best. I visit Seattle every couple months and always stop by to enjoy Sunny’s food and to see her beautiful smile. The food is great, but it’s also the warmth Sunny brings when you meet her. Some things to note when visiting:
This is not a rush in /​rush out restaurant. Sunny makes each order on the spot so it takes a little time. Expect to be there no less than 1.5 hours. Just relax!
Yes, the area looks a little sketchy. It’s just a less developed area of Seattle, that’s all. If you’re expecting a Ballard downtown then you’re in the wrong area. If you want great food and to meet Sunny, then come in!
Also, if you’re a vegetarian like me then there are plenty of options.
Many times Sunny whips up something new (not on the menu) based on seasonal ingredients and it is always a nice surprise, and delicious!

If all you really care about is how amazing the food is, then this is definitely the place for you.
You head a goodly ways down Rainier before you get here, and from outside, it’s a very humble spot. Bars on the windows, building looks kinda rickety. But there’s parking on the street, and this seems to be a bit of an Ethiopian culinary junction, with a coffee place and another casual restaurant all in the same block.
Up a cement stair or two, over the homey welcome mats, and you’re in. About 10 tables, a very small bar in the back, and some faded and cracked bathrooms to your right. They’re playing Ethiopian Mtv, or something, on the TV and the hi-​fi. It’s a bit repetitive but very, very cheering to be sure. There’s a small staff, and a steady stream of diners and to-​go orders. To-​go orders? Man, I wish I had this in my neighborhood. I would never stop eating it.
The menu is brief, with the usual assortment of slow-​roasted lamb, chicken, beef, and vegetable delights, plus a couple combo plates, The prices were so good that we hinted at ordering more than a combo, and the waitress just wouldn’t let us – «no, no, too much food for two people.» Thank you for that honesty. You were definitely right.
We did add some split peas to the meat combo, but they switched out the lentils for them, so it was kind of a regular-​sized meat combo. That still was enough to leave us overly full for 12 hours. And soooo good. They bring out the big tin hubcap-​sized platter lined with injera, and the owner follows behind with a tray, ready to explain her dishes. She carefully scoops each dish onto the injera, naming and explaining as she goes, so you really get a feel for each dish. Her accent lilts merrily as she speaks, and you just want to listen to her talk (about anything) the whole time you eat.
Everything is seasoned to an exceptional depth with complexity you just don’t find in most other cuisines. They give you a little basket with injera for scooping, each piece rolled like parchment. We went through about three of those, and paid for it the rest of the night with bloated bellies (please, please, use the smallest pieces you can, for the sake of your own comfort). Everything here was fantastically delicious, and we would have lingered much longer if we hadn’t had to hurry to a show that evening.
They brought mugs of tea near the end of the meal (well, we ordered them – don’t go in expecting them), seasoned with cinnamon before the tea bags even hit the hot water. The teas are just bagged Stash blends, but the cinnamon water livens them up considerably. The owner asked us if we had been in before, and when we said we had not, she chuckled warmly and pointed out she had been open for three years – «so, why not before now?» Thankfully, we won’t have to explain ourselves again in answer to that question. But if you haven’t been in yet, you will. So prepare your answer, and go explain yourself to Sunny. She will make you very happy you did.

Saw all of these good reviews, and I really wanted to go here. However, they dissapointed me greatly.
Before I even entered, the restaurant looked sketchy. It’s located on a ghetto like street. When I entered the restaurant, it was very hot. They had two useless fans blowing away. However, the waitress was very helpful and friendly. She let us choose a table and explained the menu.
Because of the recommendations, we ordered 2 veggie combos, beef tibbs, and hot wings. The waitress taught us how to eat, which was good. The beef tibbs were also good.
The hot wings were mediocre. It was also labeled as an appetizer, despite coming after the main entrée.
They have good service, but the food and location is not good.

This is a pretty solid Ethiopian restaurant and it was a good place to take someone who had never had Ethiopian food before because the cook comes out and actually explains each dish to you and spoons it out onto the injera bread. That extra touch is very nice.
My friend was visiting from Korea and he really liked it. The Sunset Combo is a great place to start and to be honest it was enough for three of us. Usually two of us get it and we have a lot left over. With three it was perfect. The young lady taking our order kept insisting it was’t enough food but we know how much we can eat.
I have had some of the appetizers here as well and most were pretty good. The Sunset burrito which is with injera and beef or veggies. The thing is if you get a combo platter it is very similar, so try and get a different appetizer. The burritos were so big we could barely eat our food when it came!
The Tibbs are all good. We have had the lamb, beef and they are nice and spicy with jalapeños. The chicken Tibbs None of them were dry and the balance of spices were great. The Doro Tibbs is chicken and it was very tasty as well. The Que Wott lamb stew was very flavorful.
The only downsides were that I had the tea it was disappointed because it was flavored water with a teabag. Also, there were communication issues with the young woman taking our order both times we were here.

I usually favor the vege combo platter in most other ethiopian places, but at sunset café, i preferred the meat platter because every single item was tender to my surprise. I ordered 2 vege and 2 meat combo platter for a family dinner for 7 people, and there was an incredible amount of food. everything was flavorful, different, and we couldn’t get enough of it.
The nice, sweet older lady who must be the cook came out with the tray of food and described every single item. We instantly got excited to eat upon seeing, smelling, and hearing about the food, but you might get impatient having to wait to hear her explain everything if you’re starved.
This place isn’t «nice» so don’t expect anything fancy. But the food is superb and the service is great.

Best. Ethiopian. In. Seattle.
Wow. Just wow. Found this place on Unilocal (of course!) and decided to give it a go to get out of my usual dining area. Took my friend, who was a little worried about the area, but was willing to give it a go for good Ethiopian.
We were blown away! What they lack in humble interior, they make up for with warm, inviting customer service and amazing food. We split the Sunset Combination (various meats and vegetables served atop injera). This was MORE than enough for two people; we had leftovers to take home. Presentation was fabulous — the owner came out and described what each and every dish was (beef, lamb, chicken, collared greens, homemade cheese, etc.) and gave us an additional basket of rolled up injera. When we asked for additional injera to take home, they didn’t charge us.
The prices are very economical for what you get. Plus, the patrons seem to be regulars, and they made the atmosphere very lively.
I think that if you’re new to Ethiopian, it’s essential to try a place that is good and has a good reputation. My first (and subsequent) experiences (back in Little Ethiopia in Los Angeles) left me feeling very nauseous (the quality of the food wasn’t the best), so I didn’t eat it again for a very long time. But, I’m so glad I gave it another go. If you’re okay with spices (not necessarily hot — just flavor), you will love this fare.

Sunset café is what I like to call an underdog. Let me tell you, from baseball to food, I love a good underdog. Located outside of downtown, I think, if you weren’t looking for good & legit Ethiopian food, you wouldn’t venture into these corners of the neighborhood.
Sunny is the do everything, do it all goddess. She cooks all the food herself and comes out to serve/​explain it to you. She even had a full conversation with us and brought out more of our favorite sides! It’s quite hard to come across a business/​owner with so much genuine love and heart like this these days!
We ordered the ATKILT ALICHA and the SUNSET COMBO. The Injera was nice and fluffy without being overly sour. A lot of cabbage and other veggies of all sorts were incorporated into the sunset combo… so don’t be afraid that it’ll all just be meat because it’s not! We were afraid so hence, the ATKILT ALICHA dish was ordered (it’s always good to eat more veggies anyway!). My favorites were the beef & gomen (collared greens) and the taliwat. The lamb and beef were so juicy and so full of flavor. Sunny didn’t make the gomen sour or with a funky flavor/​aftertaste like other places I’ve been to… You could tell a lot of Ethiopian love was put into every single dish. The traditional doro wat was surprisingly very tender and cooked perfectly (a lot of places tend to overcook this part… even the popular Ensarro in Oakland, CA).
I have to say, coming from the Bay Area, lots of delicious Ethiopian restaurants coexist on one side of the bay and boy of boy, Sunset Café would truly be one of the top contenders if it was in California! Support Sunny you guys! Parking is free and plentiful on the streets! (I don’t understand the tax on parking or the 2 hour parking limits everywhere in Seattle!). Sunny is a sweetheart. Her food is super affordable and legit! Noms!

Overall, I give Sunset Café 4.5 stars. Sunset Café is definitely the best Ethiopian restaurant I’ve tried in Seattle so far. It’s a great choice for those that love Ethiopian food or want to try it out for the first time.
The parking is not exactly ideal (since it’s on a busy street) and the restaurant is a little hard to find, but it’s truly worth the effort.
Located on Rainier Ave, Sunset Café looks like a small, unassuming, somewhat sketchy looking hole in the wall from the outside. However, the interior was homey and charming.
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CUSTOMER SERVICE
The service was very good, and I think that’s what makes Sunset Café stand out. I’ve been here twice before and the cook/​owner (Sunny) remembered me pretty immediately on my 2^nd visit.
Sunny was very sweet, and I could tell she took deep pride in her food. She was genuinely concerned on whether we were enjoying ourselves.
For my first visit, the waitress (the owner’s daughter) was extremely helpful. It was a little busy, so we had to ask for water 1 – 2 times when our cups were empty, but that was really a small thing.
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THE FOOD
During my 1^st visit, we ordered the Sunset and Veggie combo. It easily fed the 6 people in our group. The costs was inexpensive at around $ 13/​combo. They also allowed us to substitute one of the meats with some lamb tips for a couple of extra dollars.
Unfortunately, they ran out of Sambusa on the menu (Next time!)
The injera was fresh, which made me realized I had gone too long without eating the sour, tangy, spongy bread.
Instead of just putting a tray of food on the table, Sunny took the time to explain each component of the dish before placing it individually on our injera plate.
The food was very flavorful with the right amount of spices. There’s also something fun about eating with your hands, and I can’t wait to come back again with friends.

Yeah, I actually did decide to go get lunch at Sunset while writing my previous review. This time I got the Sunset Combo of all meats, and the owner actually threw in a few extra items just because! There were 3 lamb stews, a chicken stew, another chicken & greens dish, some lamb tripe (I think), and even some kitfo, which I enjoyed more than I thought I would. She was also kind enough to swap out the lentils that usually come with the Sunset Combo and added collard greens instead.
My meal ended with some of the regular customers inviting me to share in their freshly roasted Ethiopian-​style coffee… sweet and strong!
I love it at Sunset Café.

This place truly deserves every one of the outstanding reviews. Right off the bat, you are greeted by an extremely friendly lady who’s the chef/​owner who’s as integral a part of the experience here as the food.
My wife and I requested the veggie combo. Since I also love meat, she brought me a hearty portion of lamb tibs on the side and only charged me $ 1 extra which was amazing.
Every single vegetable in the combo was absolutely perfect. Extremely flavorful, distinct and probably the best you can find in Seattle. The owner brings it all out in small bowls and serves it tableside on the injera explaining what each dish is. There’s also a basket of injeras on the side which they very generously offer to refill if at all you manage to finish those.
The portions are massive and 1 combo can easily feed 3 people with huge appetites and probably still have some to take home.
Overall, Sunset Café has outstanding food, extremely friendly service that leave you feeling warm and at home, incredible affordable prices and is definitely well worth the drive. I’m pretty sure I’m going to keep going back here every time I crave Ethiopian food.
p. s. The meal ends with the nice lady bringing you a plate full of assorted candies.