Rehoboth Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant

The injera was lighter and less sour than many other Ethiopian restaurants we’ve been to, and all the food was very good. We had beef, juicy lamb, lentils, & potato/​karots. We’ve been to many Ethiopian restaurants over the years including: Gojo, Mudai, Zeni, Walia, & others and this was among the best (we also really like Musai). Food alone I would have given 5 stars, but downgraded because service was extremely slow. But we’ll definitely come here again.

Permanently closed??? Why?!? It was so good. My only complaint is sometimes they don’t have the ingredients for dishes I want to try

This place HAS CLOSED and that is a TRAGEDY. Rehoboth was THE BEST Ethiopian food in the Bay Area and no other place comes even close (seriously). My spouse and I ceased going to other SJ Ethiopian restaurants for years because none remotely compared-​now that this place closed, we’ve tried drowning our tears in other Ethiopian restaurants– it’s pointless. All other Ethiopian restaurants in SJ are all subpar (and believe me I wish I could say otherwise).
From what I gleaned from the owner, finances were responsible for the restaurant closure. They did not seem to have any business and marketing strategy. It’s a sad truth that even the best products need such a platform (and a sad corollary that inferior products can succeed with proper marketing).
I hope the fabulous food the owner graced SJ with will be served again in the future. I miss them!

This place gets points for flavor and service of staff (I did a call in for the Veggie Combo, very friendly) however I always compare (perhaps unfairly) most Ethiopian spots to my all time favorite, Enssaro in Oakland. Although Rehoboth comes the closest compared to other San Jose Ethiopian I’ve sampled just not quite the whole cigar. Definitely will consider this my in-​a-​pinch-​craving-​Ethiopian spot but not quite sold on the «go-​to» status quite yet based on décor for dine in experience and the overall freshness of food. There’s just something that screams «second day» in the food I consumed which equates less wait but less flavor in my opinion.

I went there on Saturday which said it was open at Noon, the lights were out and the closed sign was on. I was hoping to try this one again after the super slow service I had last time, I guess not.

This hidden neighborhood gem is closing end of this month (August 2014), so if you want to experience their exquisitely spiced and organic selections, go now. I am saddened that I won’t be able to go back to this local, family run Ethiopian place. Over the years, I have enjoyed their consistently excellent food.

I would have to say over the years since my initial review, this place has fallen victim to the mom and pop mentality. The owners show up when they want to. Example: posted hours of opening are 11:30. I showed up at 1145 and no one was there and it was locked up. We went to sushi instead and on our walk back they were open… SERIOUSLY!!!
The last time i went there a few weeks ago, they didnt have the ingredients for some of their best dishes which was a huge buzz kill. My coworkers and I always get the same dish when we go there because we know is legit bomb DOT com status and we almost walked out of there.
I really hope they read this and pick up their game a little bit. Yes the service has gone down hill as well. Its really sad as the quality of the food is above Par when they have the ingredients to make it.

Want to give it 10stars or 100 stars. My first Ethiopian restaurant and I was blown away with how wonderful everything tasted — hot but flavorful. Especially liked a lamb dish called Yeheb tibs. The service was warm and friendly. Unlike other reviewers we didn’t have to wait long for anything.

I’m a regular customer, and Café Rehoboth continues to please me each and every time!
Try the Kitfo, it’s amazing!

The service is pathetic. We had a group of 9 and were the only people in the whole restaurant on a Sat night but still had to wait for the waiter to come around multiple times. The food took 35 min to come and then I had to go to the cash register to pay the bill even though we had told them we were in a hurry. When I mentioned that the service provided wasn’t worth the automatic 18% he was charging, the guy said and I quote «Your table wasn’t worth it»!! wow… that’s the height of rudeness.
Rather than taking pro-​active steps to deal with a customer’s bad experience, he made it even worse. Never going there again and would recommend to everyone to not waste your time

After being turned on to Ethiopian cuisine years ago on the east coast, I’ve had some bad luck with some of the places I’ve tried in San Francisco, but now I’ve finally found a spot I’ll be returning to!
The ambiance may be a bit lacking, but the food and staff are wonderful and more than make up for it.
I brought my in-​laws from Italy who had never had anything like Ethipian before and they loved it! I also learned that if you call ahead they can prepare the food to be gluten-​free, which I’ll definitely be doing next time.

Came here for dinner. Nothing that hasn’t been said before:
Pros:
— Friendly staff
— Food is OK (little too much heat on the meat for our taste; portions, perhaps, a bit on the small side compared to other Ethiopian places, but no real problem)
— Inexpensive
Cons:
— It took FIFTY MINUTES for the food to arrive with barely anyone in the place. That’s just nuts.
— The place is tired: Irregular fluorescent lighting. Goofy music. The carpet needs to be taken out and shot. (Don’t believe the 2009 photos of the interior here — it’s not nearly as nice anymore.)
I get that fresh food takes time and Ethiopian places are often laid-​back, but there’s little excuse for a dumpy place with a 50 minute ticket time when there’s competition all around.

Among higher conscious beings, there is an understanding that what enters your body as food, (or otherwise) has the ability to affect your frequency of vibration… For the good, or the negative. This place will most certainly raise your vibration. And whether you are aware or not, your consciousness. In its rudimentary form, this is what we call love… So, eat, enjoy, and love…

Every single time I come here I am greeted, served and leave extremely fulfilled. I have had Ethiopian in sooo many places and by far this restaurant has quality food and the price is so fare! I usually get the Veggie combo platter with juicy chicken tibbs and shirro gravy that is so so delicious! The service is just as amazing as the food. The owner, Kay, and her son, Kifle, are so hospitable and make the anjera bread fresh every day.
I highly recommend Rehoboth if you have never had Ethiopian or if you have! Its great and you will never want to go anywhere else.

It looks like it is in a bad neighborhood, but the food is to die for. I was the only person for lunch– I had a lamb dish. It was great.
I would have given 5 stars, but I wanted ethiopian coffee, and she would not make it for me because I was only one person and the only one in the restaurant.

Good food, street parking. Chickpea dish is the best.
It’s almost always empty, lots of space.

This was my first jab at Ethiopian food, and I loved it! I get ultimate cravings for this restaurant, especially since its so healthy, tasty, and homey!
The restaurant looks like a family home that they converted to a restaurant business. It is quaint, and gives it personality :) It also makes it easy when you try to describe it to friends. When you come here, be sure to try out their tea and if you have a party of four, I recommend the veggie and meat combo! It is more than enough and you will be so happy that you tried it. Be prepared to eat with your hands. The staff here taught me that if you have a large party, they will seat you not at a table, but around a small grill with a hat looking device ontop of it. Rehoboth is definitely not an experience you will want to miss.

What do you know, a little gem just outside of Japan Town!
One of the best foods I’ve ever had! I love sushi, phở, Chinese food, Mexican food, and now, Ethiopian food! Kay, the owner, was amazing and a great hostess. She even gave us a cultural lesson about the décor. Her help that day called in sick, but she held it down. Besides us, there was another large party there and they seem to be enjoying themselves, which was a distraction for the wait.
The two of us split the half veggie and half meat. Mind you, we were both hungry and we couldn’t even finish it. We also had the side of tea, which was delish. I forgot to ask where she bought that from. Don’t get fooled by the Salad’s simplistic look. The dressing was out of this world. Per Kay, a lot of pregnant people enjoy it! She also uses organic ingredients. The lentil dip was delicious. There was a chicken dish and that one was great, too. Chicken was tender. You could tell that all the food was cooked slow and long. Everything seemed to go together.
I will definitely come back here again!

This place is great. The food is tasty/​filling, the service is really friendly and it’s easy to get to. What baffles me is that it’s always empty. How is that??? We got the veggie and meat combo plates and man we damn near had to be rolled out of the restaurant. I haven’t stuffed my face like that in a long… long time.
I can’t wait to go back!
To note: service is a little slow so if you’re in a hurry, it’s not the place to go. :)

I went here last night with a few of my Reckless Seekers members. Every once in a while I organize a not-​so-​ordinary dinner event. Meaning, we go for exotic meals, just like the one offered at Rehoboth Café. I was not a newbie when it comes to Ethiopian food. I’ve been to two different Ethiopian restaurants in the past with my group and I find it really interesting and good. Although, I wouldn’t really eat Ethiopian food everyday. Once in a while is good.
My fiancé and I arrived early and there were no customers inside. The lady server showed us to our table and I told her that we were still missing three of our companions. We got to study the menu while waiting. Unfortunately, this place doesn’t offer alcohol at all. I guess that was a total star deduction from me because what is Ethiopian food without their famous Honey Wine or Honey Beer?
All the members of my party arrived and we all decided to get the meal combination for four plus the raw Kitfo Special. We got 3 meat and 2 veggie combos plus Kitfo with a ton of Injera (bread that has the texture of a cooked pancake but not sweet). I couldn’t remember the names of the dishes we ordered but I was sure that they were #9, #10, #18, #21 and #25 from the menu. I also got their spicy Ethiopian tea which was really good.
Our food platter came and we started eating. Like what I’ve experienced in the past, the food was great. I love the spicy meat with crunchy lettuce combined. The bread was really filling. It was an awesome dinner.
Another star deduction for me was the server. Well, I guess I have to understand that she was the only one there and there were three tables that she’s attending to. Still, the place could’ve had another server, especially when customers tend to come as big groups. One of us had to walk over to where she was just to get our check or request for glasses of water. So, it was overall three stars. It was an okay experience. Food not bad and service not great.