Bunna Cafe

Yang★★★★★★★★★★1.03 months ago

It was disappointing. I’m upset because the reviews are so high, but maybe I should have read the critical reviews instead! Minus one star for weird service. When we arrived, the restaurant was relatively empty. We made eye contact with the server several times, but nobody took our order until we had been waiting for 13 entire minutes. Minus one star for meh food. I’ve had vegan and non-vegan Ethiopian food before and my companion is Ethiopian. We both thought the stews were not as flavorful as expected. Additionally, the injera had a curious texture due to the high gluten content from the teff being adulterated with barley flour. The sambusas were alright but served with an inauthentic sauce. The tosign was too heavy on the thyme. Minus one star for the uncanny leftover packing method. First of all, the waiter watched us struggle for a bit before offering to help. What makes beyaynetu unique and special is that each stew gets its own spot on the injera. The waiter just dumped everything into the box, allowing the stews to mix. This is so disrespectful to Ethiopian cuisine. Minus one star for the price. It was $52 for the beyaynetu feast for 2 and $18 for 4 sambusas. This is more than other Ethiopian restaurants in the city. Additionally, upon checkout, tip was calculated on total, not subtotal. This high pricing is characteristic for the clientele and neighborhood, but I foolishly believed this higher price point would correlate with a superior dining experience. Clearly I was wrong.

Lulu★★★★★★★★★★5.03 months ago

First time having Ethiopian food, especially vegan. My experience was nothing short of amazing. The Beyaynetu, was delicious. The injera surprised me, it was slightly acidic and a bit tart, but it paired WELL with all the other sides. I got the $26 Beyaynetu (shared amongst 3 people), except the kale and beets option. This is how vegan food should taste. All the sides had their own flavor profile and even with mixing them, nothing overpowered the other! The sambusa with red lentils, were amazing, crispy skin, the lentils were cooked perfectly, not too hard, not too mushy, had a bite to it. The pepper sauce it came with set it off, a bit of spice as well. Shai correnti (Ethiopian hot toddy) was strong, made me feel nice. The Pushkin was delicious, and the powdered pot on top was so cute! Servers were so nice, the vibe of this place is 10/10. They played Ethiopian music, the decor and book shelves. The lighting. And the place was clean, the bathroom was especially clean. I will be back!

Jaimie R★★★★★★★★★★5.0a month ago

Wow the quality and the price point is amazing. The variety of vegetables. I would 10/10 go back. The sambusa was so flavorful. We ordered the combo for 3 people and us 4 barely made a dent. We had leftovers to go! We were able to get seated early on a Friday at 6:30 no reservation but this place fills up quickly. They have a happy hour until 7pm

Sam Hernandez★★★★★★★★★★3.03 months ago

I was very excited to try this place, as Ethiopian food is my favorite cuisine! The staff members were all incredibly kind and sweet! A few things.. -The music was unbearably loud. And since it was so loud, everyone had to yell to hear each other, which just made it worse. It was very difficult to relax and enjoy my dinner there because of that. -When I had returned from the restroom, I saw a plate of food at my seat, and I was so happy! I took a few pictures of the plate and just as I was about to eat, the plate was taken away from me because it was actually for someone else. I understand that things happen, but since it was Ramadan and it was already well past iftar time, I was so sad and almost felt like it was taking candy away from a baby, lol. -Also, they need to fill up their soap dispensers with actual soap instead of watering it down, lol. It was hard to actually clean your hands well before and after eating (you are eating with your hands, after all) due to the watered down soap. -Finally, the food was okay. It was not the best Ethiopian food I have had, as some of the injera was quite dry, some of the dishes lacked flavor, and the portions were rather small for the price. I will say that the baklava was delicious and I loved the coffee infusion!

jen k★★★★★★★★★★5.09 months ago

This was my first Ethiopian cuisine experience and I loved that they don't give you utensils for the full effect! The food isnt really a looker if you're not into pureed food, but the taste was delightful! Highly recommend and for any vegans or vegetarians craving some hearty food. I have gone 2 times now and they are just as good! The interaction (bread) they have is tangy and slightly sour.