Queen of Sheba

+ Food was good, and it is a cool place to go for a little variety
+ Very friendly server
+ Liked the black Ethiopian sweet tea
+ Lots of good vegetarian options
— Only one waitress working made for a really slow meal, frustratingly slow once we had finished eating
— Kind of small portions; two of us commented that we were still hungry after the meal
I would probably go back, but it wouldn’t be my first choice.

First time trying Ethiopian food and I was very very satisfied! Food was AMAZING!
I enjoyed the experience a lot. For those who have never had Ethipoian food: you don’t use utensils! You take the injera with your hand, which is a flatbread and scoop up the food with it. The injera was very delicious and it comes when you order your food (it’s unlimited!).
I went with a few friends (group of 5) and we ordered 4 entrees (2 vegetarian, 1 lamb, and 1 fish) and it was enough to fill us all up. I guess you can say it’s a little pricey ($ 17 (w/​tip) per person), but the quality of the food made it worth it. The meats were so tender, the vegetables and meat were perfectly spiced, and overall, it was delicious. You eat the food family-​style, so it was nice to try different things.
I LOVE the décor! The ambiance of the restaurant was perfect.
Service was great. Our waitress was very attentive and helpful.
I will definitely be back!

I have eaten Eritrean food for years, our son’s care giver made it for us all the time. Our son LOVES injera, and we had to find some since moving to Chapel Hill.
The owner is a wonderful woman, very kind and makes GREAT food! It has unique flavors and is very easily over eaten because it is so delicious! 2 people can easily share the veggie platter and leave with full bellys.
Will be back often and highly recommend trying it. Veg and meat eaters alike. And the injera is gluten free, whoo-​hooo!!!

Food was amazing! Not as spicy as I like but great taste. The portions were large and we had an unlimited feast. Spent hours eating.

This was me and the bf’s first Ethiopian food experience in the triangle. We both love Ethiopian food, so it was a relief to find at least one decent Ethiopian restaurant! The restaurant was busy, but not overcrowded on a Saturday night. The servers and cooks were Ethiopian for the most part, which we typically use as a guage of authenticity. I ordered the Queen of Sheba’s Vegetarian Combination, which consisted of 5 dishes. My personal favorites were the Yemisir Kay Watt (red lentils) and Yedinich (potato salad). The injera itself was the right consistency, spongy yet not soggy. The bf got Kitfo as usual, and said it was good. Granted, our favorite Ethiopian spots were in Chicago, Queen of Sheba is a nice choice for Ethiopian here in the triangle!

Based on the reviews, decided to go with the meat platter for two and coffee. Was not disappointed! My friend and I couldn’t decide which meat was our favorite, because they were all tender and delicious. Although it’s not listed on the menu, each dinner comes with two sides that the chef chooses. We ended up with collard greens and cabbage, and both were very good. We went through a lot of napkins, but not as messy as you’d expect. A basket of chicken wings would be messier. A really great dining experience for only $ 20 per person. Although it’s definitely for adventurous diners, the flavors were all pretty subtle so as long as everyone’s up for sharing food it could definitely be a crowd pleaser!

First time trying Ethiopian and I was very impressed! The owner helped me pick out some of her favorites from the menu and I loved everything I had. My favorite was a lamb dish that was melt in your mouth delicious. I will definitely be coming back.

Best coffee I’ve ever tasted! Excellent vegan and gluten free options. Truly authentic.

Went for my anniversary. Had mentioned the restaurant to several of my local friends and they all told me that they had been curious but that none had actually tried it. Please do. It was a lovely experience. For a pretty fair price they will take you on a tour of their menu in their Chef’s Feast, and you will not leave hungry. Wine by the bottle is very reasonable, seating isn’t cramped, the service is great — the person I believe was the chef-​owner came to the table several times and seemed genuinely interested in our experience. The food was very tasty and the coffee strong and flavorful. One of our new favorites.

Kay Wott (beef in berbere sauce) was spicy and delicious.

Lots of rules and inflexibility when it comes to substitutions and menu options. Brought my mother and daughter here for their first and likely last Ethiopian meal. Food was good but not quite as good as I am used to.

A magnificent meal will be yours if you dare to dine at one of the authentic tables at Queen of Sheba. The wicker woven table will be covered with a savory injera pancake big enough to be a magical flying carpet. It is your transport to a world of delicious food. The server arrives, trailing a cloud of fragrant steam from covered containers, and begins ladling your food on top of the bread. Whether long simmered or quick cooked or raw, every dish is meticulously prepared and spiced.
If you want the full authentic experience, you tear off pieces of injera to scoop up your meal. But no fingers will be shaken at diners who prefer to use forks or spoons Western style. The point is to enjoy the food with pleasure, and you won’t have any trouble doing that. Flavors are well developed and on point, even if you might not be able to identify some of the ingredients after they have melded comfortably together for hours on a slow and loving simmer.
What impressed me the most — other than the delicious food with exotic but well balanced and highly enjoyable flavors — was that they roast their own coffee by hand, the old fashioned way, in the kitchen. Their coffee service is amazing and a must try. Of course the injera is also house made, with a properly long fermentation on the teff batter that produces a delicious subtle sourness in the savory bread.
Prices are very reasonable for the portions. Expect leftovers. We ate like kings for days out of their boxes after doing the tasting menu and being utterly defeated by it despite wanting very much to eat more.
Highly recommended for fans of Ethiopian food. The owner actually found me on Twitter and we had a lively and intelligent foodie conversation before she mentioned that she owned a restaurant. I was sufficiently intrigued at her level of culinary know-​how to give it a try, and I was not disappointed. Top ratings for a very delicious and authentic foodie experience.

I can’t stop thinking about how great our dinner at Queen of Sheba was last night. We have been here numerous times and have never been disappointed in the food or service. We ordered the vegetarian platter for two and the waitress happily complied with our request for some substitutions.
We love this restaurant.

I’m a big fan of Ethiopian food and Queen of Sheba hits it out of the park. Come with an open mind and big appetite; picky eaters need not apply.
We ordered the meat combination platter (lamb, chicken, beef) and the gored gored (cubed beef served ‘very rare’). While everything was perfectly cooked and delicious, the gored gored was the highlight of the evening. Unbelievably tender with a deliciously spiced sauce that paired beautifully with the tangy injera bread.
I do wish that there were more combination options. My favorite part of Ethiopian cuisine (besides getting to eat with your hands) is trying different meat and vegetable combinations. Each entrée is itself a reasonable price, but the cost was high enough to prevent me from ordering tapas-​style.
Also, each entrée comes with 2 sides (chef’s choice). I’m fully prepared to put my dinner in the hands and imagination of the chef, but it would have been helpful if the menu had indicated that each entrée came with sides.

My waitress had a disgusting attitude. I ordered one thing and received something completely different. When I asked the waitress where my order was she said that is what you ordered. I proceeded to reiterate what I ordered and pointed to the item on the menu. My waitress proceeded to say she did not have her reading glasses and could not see what I ordered.
The waitresses tone began to escalate and I asked if she was getting angry with me, she said no but you have had an attitude since you came in. I was appalled by the service and the decorum of the staff. It was very unpleasing. The food was not the best I’ve had of the culture. But it was decent. I never received what I ordered and we proceeded to leave without tip. I WILL NOT BE GOING BACK HERE AGAIN

Easily one of the best meals I have ever had. All the food was homemade from raw ingredients (even the yogurt).
To top off a great meal the owner brought out homemade Ice cream with a sauce made from raw chocolate, cardamom, and coffee. It was amazing.
Even the coffee is roasted in house. It too blew me away.

Me and my husband have been eating here since this place is open. I can eat Buticha and Fish tibs each and everyday. How ever now a days my 14 months old son is a regular customer as well. I love the dining room set up. It lifts up my mood as soon as I enter. Whenever we ate there there is always some left over for next day, which I love it.

This restaurant was not for me. I will certainly not hold it against them because it turns out I’m not a huge fan or Ethiopian food, but I will hold it against them that they won’t take more than 3 credit cards per table. So we had a party of 7 and of course no one had cash, so we had to scramble to see who would cover whose meal to end up handing the server just 3 cards. It seemed very arbitrary, not any easier for the server, and just a huge pain to our party.
Good things included the service and ambiance.

The location isn’t the best as it’s in a strip mall, but once you get past that, the inside is nice and smells great as soon as you step in.
The food was mostly good. The appetizers that initially came out were actually much better than the main dish and the injeera was delicious. Overall, a good Ethiopian option for CH.

This restaurant is in a strip mall, so it’s not as plush or exotic as I expected from the pictures on the web site.
My husband and I chose to sit at a mesob, the traditional Ethiopian basket table. At other Ethiopian restaurants, the mesob is often paired with little stools, but at Queen of Sheba, the mesobs are paired with the same restaurant chairs as the western-​style tables, so I thought we were sitting a bit high.
We shared Queen of Sheba’s Vegetarian Combination (which is 100% vegan!). It includes Yetimatim (Tomato Salad), Yemisir Azefah (Lentil Salad), Yedinich (Potato Salad), which are brought out first on the traditional injera on a platter and placed on top of the mesob, while additional injera is put on a dish on a stool to the side. The server then brought out bowls of the entreees, Kik Alich’a (Yellow Split Peas), & Yemisir Kay Watt (Red Lentil). The Yemisir Kay Watt was deliciously spiced and was our favorite. We weren’t so fond of the cold Yedinich. For two people, the meal was $ 26.00. We accompanied this with a glass of the house merlot, $ 6.95 per glass. It was a very satisfying meal, and we hope to be back soon.