Los Angeles, CA.

Nyala Ethiopian Cuisine

The Open View

For three star Ethiopian, try Nyala Ethiopian in Los Angeles. Try this popular spot for cheap eats in the Fairfax neighborhood. Upon entering the restaurant, you'll find a family atmosphere. This place features a full bar. This restaurant is good for groups.

Expert Reviews of Nyala Ethiopian Cuisine

Citysearch | Ethiopian specialties and casual atmosphere in a communal setting.

Nyala features earthen colors, tribal music and the sharp aroma of garlic, ginger and red pepper. Both novices and eat-with-your-hands pros head to this African dining destination for injera--a tangy, flat...
citysearch.com - expert review - 10/22/2007
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Frommer's

There are no fewer than four Ethiopian eateries along 2 compact blocks of Fairfax, but our favorite is Nyala; it's one of the largest and still the most popular. In a mellow setting -- all earthen colors,...
frommers.com - expert review
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Yahoo! Travel

Find valuable restaurant information including descriptions, photos, reviews and interactive maps for Nyala Ethiopian Cafe in Los Angeles, California. Locate additional information on sights, attractions and...
travel.yahoo.com - expert review
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Gayot

one of the mainstays of a distinctive restaurant row on a stretch of fairfax dubbed little ethiopia, nyala provides an excellent introduction to the aromatic, warmly-spiced home-style cooking of this east...
gayot.com - expert review
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AOL CityGuide

spare me the jokes, please. everytime i tell someone i'm going to an ethiopian restaurant i get the same tired one-liners. you all know 'em, i don't need to belabor the point...
cityguide.aol.com - expert review
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Wcities

this place is a community builder, hosting jazz combos, poetry readings, and meetings for african-american business leaders. a section for performing the traditional ethiopian coffee ceremony is reserved in...
wcities.com - expert review
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User Reviews of Nyala Ethiopian Cuisine

Yelp.com Review - by Ian M.

5 of 5 stars. This is a fantastic Ethiopian restaurant! I've dined at Nyala, Messob, and Rosalind's, and Nyala is my favorite. I love the food here! Our food was obviously freshly prepared and the attention to a…
yelp.com - user review - 05/30/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Andrew M.

4 of 5 stars. The place is authentic and the meals will clean out your insides - in a good way. Great spices. They have an interesting selection of african beers. stay away from the african wine. engine oil.
yelp.com - user review - 05/21/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Anna M.

4 of 5 stars. This is the only Ethopian Restaurant I've been to in LA - a compliment to Nyala but a limitation on my credibility. But I love their Vegetarian Combination Plate. Such a variety of colors, flavors,…
yelp.com - user review - 05/19/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Eli G.

3 of 5 stars. Family style piles of mush that you eat with your hands. Sounds perfect for me, but I'm not a dirty hippy so it didn't really work out. I've been here a few times now and I'm just not that big on it.…
yelp.com - user review - 05/14/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Andrea Z.

3 of 5 stars. 3.5 stars Made some reservations for Ry-ry's birthday this past friday.
yelp.com - user review - 05/04/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by hello y.

1 of 5 stars. One of several Ethiopian spots on Fairfax, and the only one that has given me food poisoning. I'd recommend Rahel Ethiopian Veggie Cuisine across the street instead.
yelp.com - user review - 05/04/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Sneha A.

5 of 5 stars. ethiopian food is remarkably similar to south indian food--plus you use your hands (or rather, sop it up with the injera), so my family felt right at home. it's fantastic for vegetarians as well as…
yelp.com - user review - 03/21/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Valinda L.

4 of 5 stars. Most people have only been exposed to Ethiopian food via Ben Stiller's not-so-great experience with it in Along Came Polly. As a Yelper, however, I'm sure you're willing to get past that and to try…
yelp.com - user review - 03/07/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Abby W.

5 of 5 stars. Insanely delicious Ethiopian food without breaking the bank! The veggie combo is fantastic, the service is friendly and attentive, and the ambiance is totally warm and inviting. This is a great place…
yelp.com - user review - 02/25/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Mindy L.

4 of 5 stars. It's always fun to eat with your hands! Here you rip up some spongey injera bread and use it to pick up your food. We got #6 Vegetarian combo, #10 Yesiga ribs, #14 meat combination and #12 doro ribs.…
yelp.com - user review - 02/10/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Lisa H.

4 of 5 stars. Came here on a lazy Saturday afternoon with the boyfriend, who was craving Ethiopian. My wireless was down (oh the horror), so to find the place we actually went to Borders and looked it up in a food…
yelp.com - user review - 02/05/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Keila N.

2 of 5 stars. I went here with my daughter and her friend. Nothing really unique except for the injera bread. Service was slow.
yelp.com - user review - 02/01/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Sofia M.

5 of 5 stars. Dear Yelpers, I have to confess something. But first, promise it won't change our relationship. I mean, of course it will because then you won't trust me anymore. I for one, don't really believe in…
yelp.com - user review - 01/25/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by L C.

4 of 5 stars. Never had Ethiopian food until my best friend took me to this place 6 years ago...got completely hooked and if it wasn't clear across town for me, I would go here more often. The food consists of…
yelp.com - user review - 01/13/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Sina y.

4 of 5 stars. real good food. its pretty much the same as rahel though so not too much to brag about. try the ethiopian beer.
yelp.com - user review - 01/11/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Minnie F.

4 of 5 stars. Love Nyala! Great food, fair prices, beautiful ambiance and two words: Honey Wine! If you haven't gone yet, please do so...it's a wonderful experience.
yelp.com - user review - 01/03/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Yvette L.

3 of 5 stars. The food is not bad at all. This was my first Ethiopian experience and I was pleased. The service sucked, I wasn't offered anything to drink and I practically had to go into the kitchen to get our…
yelp.com - user review - 01/03/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Patrick N.

4 of 5 stars. I grade most new food experiences with, "so, did I survive it without getting sick?" Nyala, I survived it. And enjoyed it. And went back for second helpings.
yelp.com - user review - 12/11/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Vanessa H.

3 of 5 stars. Plenty tasty. If you go with a friend,order one meat and one veggie combo. Consume, and lick your fingers clean. Mmm, red lentils. Mmm, beefy saucy goodness. The couple beside us was having the…
yelp.com - user review - 12/11/2007
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Terrible place stay away

I was with my family of four on fairfax when we decide to try some ethiopian food, when we entered nyala the place looked nice and clean, we ordered the part platter for 4 people for $45. When we've received...
citysearch.com - user review - 10/14/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Monica T.

3 of 5 stars. Ok, this was my first experience with Ethiopian food. So, I don' t know how fair this is to the restaurant itself. But here I go. When I first got in the restaurant, I noticed the wonderful smell…
yelp.com - user review - 10/07/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Georgina L.

3 of 5 stars. I really really love ethiopian food. I ate tons of it when I was back in Boston and it has never failed to fill me up with delicious scrumptuous meatiness. I ordered combo #12 which was this chicken…
yelp.com - user review - 09/10/2007
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Yummy!

I really liked the food and the atmosphere at Nyala. We ordered the meat & veggie combo plates and the asa fish dish. The asa fish was my favorite, probably because it was the most spicy. My friend loved the...
citysearch.com - user review - 08/22/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Kirstie M.

4 of 5 stars. Had my first Ethiopian food experience here a few nights ago and really enjoyed it. Went with my husband, who'd had Ethiopian food several times before, mostly in the same neighborhood. First off,…
yelp.com - user review - 08/21/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by jenny h.

3 of 5 stars. lunch buffet review only! i love ethiopian food and i was craving it last week, so i finally went to the lunch buffet, which i had been wanting to try for years. it was pretty good but i still think…
yelp.com - user review - 08/14/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Daniel K.

5 of 5 stars. Amazing food! Amazing way to eat! My wife forced me to try this place out and I finally submitted, kicking and screaming. I ran thru the whole gamut of Ethopian jokes ("they have food? " blah blah…
yelp.com - user review - 08/08/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Jason C.

1 of 5 stars. Can someone come over my place and punch me in the face? WTF??? Four or so years ago I decided to give Ethiopian food a swing. The evening ended with me saying; "Yes. Could I please get a Jumbo Jack?"…
yelp.com - user review - 08/03/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Sarah M.

5 of 5 stars. Try Ethiopian here first! Basically, there are a bunch of good Ethiopian places in a row along this part of Fairfax. Nyala is a wonderful place for "beginners" to go because it's classy, very clean,…
yelp.com - user review - 08/03/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Siddhant C.

5 of 5 stars. I wouldnt be surprised if you get a little skeptical about trying ethopian cuisine when you havent ever had it or heard about it ur entire life ... I was in a similar situation when my colleagues…
yelp.com - user review - 07/24/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by K N.

4 of 5 stars. My first experience with Ethiopian grub EVER was here. Yep --- over 10 years ago. Whew! Since then, I've been an njera LOVER!!! Definitely try the midday lunch buffet if they've still got it.
yelp.com - user review - 07/24/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by lauren b.

4 of 5 stars. So, every month I do girl's night out with a couple of my friends. This time around we decided to try Ethiopian food. Out of the myriad of restaurants on Fairfax to choose from, we decided on Nyala,…
yelp.com - user review - 07/02/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Caroline K.

3 of 5 stars. After having a meal at Nyala's, now I know why Ethiopians are so dang skinny. A friend and I ordered the meat combination and Yesiga Tibs (cubed meat in a yummy butter sauce). All the food was…
yelp.com - user review - 07/01/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by ericka L.

5 of 5 stars. Nothing makes food taste better than love. My very bestest friend in the whole world and I had Nyala for dinner last night. He's one of those rare people who makes me feel more me than anyone else,…
yelp.com - user review - 06/25/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Lillian L.

1 of 5 stars. First time I every ate Ethiopian food. And honestly, it's nothing like I expected. I know it's finger food place, but the food.. hmm... how do I describe it.. A place like this, you have to know what…
yelp.com - user review - 06/20/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Ewa M.

4 of 5 stars. Great place for evenings with friends, whom you can share food and eat with hands! The best part is the spongy bread and big portions of various foods on one combo plate. I had the veggie combo,…
yelp.com - user review - 06/13/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Shauna D.

4 of 5 stars. Service has improved through the years at Nyala's. It's surprising since I never thought they would change. Perhaps other Ethiopian places have better food but I like Nyala because of all the great…
yelp.com - user review - 06/13/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Quirky Q.

5 of 5 stars. I love this restaurant! For years I lived just down the street so I ate there all the time. The waiters were always super sweet but quiet, it's their culture so don't get all bent out. I recommend…
yelp.com - user review - 06/12/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Anh T.

5 of 5 stars. Admittedly, the food doesn't look very appetizing. In fact, my dish looked like heaps of various baby poo on a big sponge. Umm...sorry if that sounds too gross. Aesthetics aside, however, the food was…
yelp.com - user review - 06/11/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Gerald S.

3 of 5 stars. I've always been interested in eating all types of food so I was excited to try out this Ethiopian restaurant, located in an area of LA they call Little Ethiopia. I ordered some dish filled with beef…
yelp.com - user review - 06/03/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by sarah s.

5 of 5 stars. Readily available Ethiopian food is just one of the huge advantages of living in/near LA. Nyala is great for parties (Ethiopian is much more fun family-style) and has something for everyone. I…
yelp.com - user review - 05/29/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Amanda A.

5 of 5 stars. My second favorite restaurant in all of LA. Picky vegan in your party? Check! Meat-and-potatoes dude takes you on a date? Check! Carboholics anonymous meeting? Check! Everyone is satisfied, and…
yelp.com - user review - 05/27/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Jennifer S.

4 of 5 stars. So, as you may know, I am the queen of experimenting w/ different types of food, and i go on these crazay adventures... came here for dinner because i needed to get some steam off my chest from…
yelp.com - user review - 04/30/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Heather W.

5 of 5 stars. This was truly a culinary adventure! The food was fantastic---I don't remember exactly what we ordered but it had lots of meat in a yummy sauce and the Ethiopian bread they give you to eat it with is…
yelp.com - user review - 04/28/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Alexander S.

5 of 5 stars. I really wish I could give this place more than 5 stars... it deserves ten. Went to dinner here recently, and had an incredible time. I've had Ethiopian food before (both elsewhere on Fairfax, and in…
yelp.com - user review - 04/13/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by JAYCE B.

5 of 5 stars. five stars for a refreshingly unique and interesting meal. extremely vegan and plenty filling. I uh... can't think of anything funny about the situation so I'm not gonna force it. The veggie combo…
yelp.com - user review - 03/26/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Byron A.

4 of 5 stars. this was my first Ethiopian experience, and i think i'll be going back for more. the food here was, for the most part, excellent and very well spiced. also, it helps that it was so inexpensive -…
yelp.com - user review - 03/17/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Frank K.

5 of 5 stars. This place is the reason why I think Ethiopian is the best, most flavorful, most satisfying. Sure, some say it's not the most authentic Ethiopian, and sure, first timers will be turned off because…
yelp.com - user review - 03/06/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Leila T.

4 of 5 stars. I love the vegetarian variety platter here! Great for sharing with one or two other people. My favorite place in Little Ethiopia so far (though I admit I have a couple more to try). We've also…
yelp.com - user review - 02/13/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Shira U.

4 of 5 stars. I love me my Ethiopian food, so when I moved to Los Angeles it was important that I locate Little Ethiopia right away. My Zagat guide had a single Ethiopian restaurant in it, and Nyala was just what…
yelp.com - user review - 01/17/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Salema J.

5 of 5 stars. I really enjoyed eating something new. I had different types of lentil beans along with some tomatoey chicken that was absolutely DELICIOUS. This food reminded me of a little of middle eastern food.…
yelp.com - user review - 12/12/2006
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Best Ethiopian in Los Angeles!

This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant on Fairfax. The food is deliccious, the prices reasonable, the atmosphere is very nice and the waitstaff friendly. They have large sampler platters for both vegetarians...
citysearch.com - user review - 11/20/2006
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Great Ethiopian Restaurant

Are you in the mood for something ... well, different? If you've never tried Ethiopian cuisine, you...
judysbook.com - user review - 11/06/2006
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My favorite place for Ethiopean

I was first introduced to Ethiopean food and Nyala's a couple years ago. It remains my favorite on Fairfax. The food is really good and the prices are reasonable. Parking is extremely difficult, however. We've...
citysearch.com - user review - 11/02/2006
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Yelp.com Review - by Michelle C.

2 of 5 stars. It was my first time trying Ethiopian food. We ordered the meat sampler and a #12 (beef cubes). The meat combo has 3 different dishes...i think it was beef, chicken, lamb. Out of the 4, I liked #12…
yelp.com - user review - 10/29/2006
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Try Ethiopian here first

Don't know how the last person spent $40 on one thing, considering I always split a veggie AND chicken platter, with wine, for under $30 (and have leftovers!). Basically, there are a bunch of good Ethiopian...
citysearch.com - user review - 09/29/2006
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Yelp.com Review - by susan o.

1 of 5 stars. my first try in ethiopian... kudos to ro for the fun suggestion! YES, ethiopians DO eat.
yelp.com - user review - 09/21/2006
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mediocre food, small portions and inattentive service

Maybe it was because it was late Sunday afternoon, or that the waitress's boyfriend, cousin whatever, had come in for a drink or the cook had only a little of the food (vegie platter for 4 $40 )but our...
citysearch.com - user review - 07/24/2006
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Yelp.com Review - by j c.

3 of 5 stars. I've never had great service here, but I'm usually feeling too comatose from all the doro tibs and injera to rush out the door anyway. I've always been happy enough with the food and there's free…
yelp.com - user review - 07/17/2006
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Yelp.com Review - by lothari o.

2 of 5 stars. Average Ethiopian or maybe slightly worse. Haven't tried any of the other places on the strip, but certainly this isn't as good as DC Ethiopian. Service was not too friendly.
yelp.com - user review - 06/19/2006
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Yelp.com Review - by Chris N.

1 of 5 stars. Just not my taste in food. Being ignored the whole time was very annoying. The service is bad. Some have told me that it is the culture? I dont know but I'm an american, They are doing business in…
yelp.com - user review - 06/19/2006
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Yelp.com Review - by Jason M.

2 of 5 stars. Food is ok, but the service sucks. Even when making eye contact no one would come to bring the check, and once the food hits the table, hope you're set on drinks because they will not be back to…
yelp.com - user review - 03/29/2006
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Best Ethiopian restaurant in LA!!

Hands down the best Ethiopian restaurant in Little Ethiopia on Fairfax. Since the first time I came here I've been hooked! The atmosphere of this family owned restaurant is very traditional and beautiful. Very...
citysearch.com - user review - 02/13/2006
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Yelp.com Review - by Aaron R.

3 of 5 stars. The food is much the same as many of the Ethiopian places I've been. Indeed the service was nearly non-existent, and with a party of 12 or so, we had issues with ordering as we all just wanted to share…
yelp.com - user review - 02/01/2006
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Yelp.com Review - by cherie c.

1 of 5 stars. Two visits. Awful service during both. Mediocre food. The atmosphere is prettier than other restaurants on Fairfax, so most people are drawn there because it is less foreign. But skip it and head…
yelp.com - user review - 01/06/2006
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Real Ethiopian Food is NOT this bland...

One of the best things about Ethiopian food is the incredible spices that are used to prepare it. However, Nyala is definitely not the place to get good Ethiopian. I went with some out of town guest who wanted...
citysearch.com - user review - 10/29/2005
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I didnt care for it

I had never had Ethiopian food before and wanted to try something different. This place was nice and the service was fine but I didnt care for the food. We ordered the sampler since we didnt know what to get....
citysearch.com - user review - 08/15/2005
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Worth the visit-interesting experience

Waitstaff was very nice, explained everything for us and made some great recommendations. As for the food, I'd recommend getting their "proposed" list for 4 people. There are no utensils here, everything is...
citysearch.com - user review - 10/02/2004
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Just try it, you'll like it!!

Ethiopian food is so unique and when it's good, it is very good, and when it's not so good, it is time to leave. I've been to Nyala on four occasions over the last few years and was recently reminded that have...
citysearch.com - user review - 05/10/2004
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My FAVORITE Ethiopian restaurant!

Not that I've been to THAT many other Ethiopian restaurants, but I've been to enough to know that this is one of the better ones. The food is absolutely fantastic!!!! The ambience has gotten better over the...
citysearch.com - user review - 04/29/2004
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Yum!

Parking is a real drag anywhere on Fairfax, but it is worth the trouble to find it for Nyala. The food is terrific here and the prices are reasonable. The service is friendly enough, although not extremely...
citysearch.com - user review - 07/27/2003
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