A truly great experience. This place was my first time trying Eritrean food and it blew my mind. The service was courteous and attentive, the food was excellent and the atmosphere was relaxing. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a new food experience.
This is my new favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the city. It took a while to get our food but having been to other Ethiopian restaurants we expected that. The selection was great and the food was amazing. The atmosphere is also really nice. Highly recommend this place!
The atmosphere was darker (low lights) and had an awesome cool vibe ! I had read in previous reviews that service and food was slow ... neither was the case. The service was friendly, helpful and quick. The food was absolutely amazing, my first time having Ethiopian and it was so fun to eat it traditionally without utensils!
I totally recommend and would definitely go back
- if you have trouble with stairs be warned it's up a
Couple flights
- smaller bathroom
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Dinner out with the better-half tonight (06AUG16.) Going to try some place new where we've never been.
Service was excellent. Decor is basic but clean. The bathrooms are so clean, that you could eat off the floor.......very unusual that way, and a pleasant surprise. The server was well-informed, very helpful, and knew the menu inside and out. Made some great suggestions and recommendations. Paired everything together nicely. Fully expected a long wait (as per all the reviews.) However, everything arrived in decent time.
Started off with 2 Sambussa's for our Appetizers.....which are similar to East Indian Samosa's. Filling is similar to an Indian Achar or Chutney.
Our Main's were: Massawa Specialty Dish B and the Lamb Yebeg Tibs. This is a combination of Dora Tibs (chicken) and Lega Tibs (beef). The meal comes with split peas, spinach, lettuce and Injera (bread.) The food was mildly spicy, with tangs of curry and hot green chili peppers. The injera was similar to a crepe which tastes like sourdough. Picture yourself with Roti when eating an East Indian Curry dish like Dhal & Rice.....that's the idea. Delicious!
There is no silverware.....so you eat with your hands. And, having curry at home 2-3 times per week.......we were well prepared, as this is all part of the Ethnic charm when eating this food. You're each given a bowl of hot water to cleanse your hands, complete with a lemon wedge. It really is a cool way to eat!
All in all, a completely enjoyable experience. Nice ambience, friendly service. Tasty food. And the price was right.
No complaints, and would definitely recommend Massawa to everyone. Keep in mind, the rest of the world eats different foods, uses different ingredients, and dines differently as well. So, go in with an open mind and a positive attitude. Be respectful. If you want to act, think, and behave like a typical 'Whitey'.....and expect 'White-man' food, then Massawa is the wrong choice of restaurant for you!
Consistently a solid bet.
Always get the vegetarian platter with extra injera, share with someone and can barely finish! Massawa is one of those places where you always order the same thing and it's always good.
Massawa is a great representation of Ethiopian food. While this is a relatively foreign cuisine for me, the dishes are well cooked, the flavours are strong and the price attractive enough to warrant a definite recommendation. Just note that the style of eating might not appeal to all.
Kaitlyn Caprice Douglas
+4
Great food, but you better be willing to wait for it. Dinner took upwards of 3 hours and there was only 2 of us. Really enjoyed the food. Server was friendly and warned us about the time.
Oh Massawa! I would have never known about this place if not because of a friend who loves it a lot. I am glad I did. But on that note, they should really do a better job advertising themselves (like fixing their sign outside), so it's more noticeable to the public especially in Osborne.
I like supporting family run restaurants and this place definitely feels like home. The moment you walk in, you are greeted by a super nice lady that makes you feel at home. That being said, since there are only two people running it (i think), the service can take a while, so be prepared to wait for your food.
I always get Sambussas which hits the spot everytime, especially with a squeeze of lime juice. Then we usually shars Specialy House B, a combination of of meat and vegetable dishes which is served on top of Injera. The serving seems little when it is served, but once you start eating, it can make you full easily. Perfect spiciness and tasty!
Definitely a hidden gem. Must try!
Food was fantastic as always. Service was MUCH improved! Totally a worthwhile dining experience.
Haven't been to this place for a long time. Totally forgot about it. The food is still great. Awesome flavor.
So Addicted to this restaurant. I am that in love with Massawa! The owner is such a sweet woman, not to mention a stellar cook! I have never had a problem with the service either. I have gotten to know many of the servers over the years and they are all great girls working HARD on busy nights. If you're a fan of spice I cannot recommend the HOT ingudai tibs highly enough! The secret is to go after 8 on a weeknight. Yes there is a wait, but she is making your food as you order it, so you know when you get it, it is so fresh. Massawa is magic for your tastebuds!
Great Experience!. Decided to check this place out as I love ethnic food and have had Ethiopian/Eritrean a few times. Very pleased! Food took about 30 minutes, which is pretty good by Ethiopian food standards, and was delicious. Waitress was attentive, courteous and prompt. Prices were great! I recommend the "B" combo. A definite recommendation in my books.
My friend and I both had the Doro Tibs, it was fantastic! The place was busy so it took a while to get our food, but it was definitely worth the wait! Service was very friendly and great food for the price!
Sorenkierkegaardsmom
+4.5
Nice inside but too High. Hey I can no come to this restaurant no more. It was nice inside tho I must say. This I have to admit. Yeah. The restaurant was nice but it was so high. I am scared of being high. That why I always like groundings. I like groundings cause they so high. But I admit it was nice.. sometime i like to throw straw off so high. the straw fall down n blow round and stuff on street. but i scare lol. restaurant too high. lower it maybe? put it on groundings lol. it seem they only like customer who go high
Fantastic service, tasty food.. Checked it out a couple weeks back on a whim with some friends, can't say I was disappointed!
The interior was romantically lit, the server in formal wear, and the food very spicy but very, very good.
Wait was long (I'm talking an hour) but the server was friendly and happy to explain that the food (like a wine, she said?) takes time.
The appetizer like a samosa was hot and delicious and came out very quickly, however the main was a much longer wait.
Service was wonderful, she was attentive but not overbearing, and nothing but smiles and helpfulness.
Will definitely return however not on a hungry stomach!
Love it and Hate it. I'm a seasoned patron of Massawa and I have a love/hate relationship with them. I LOVE their food. I've never been disappointed with anything I've tried there, although, I usually stick with a combo platter to share with a friend. The service is absolutely horrible, but it's one of those experiences I'm willing to suffer through to get my meal. I usually bring water bottles with me because despite the spicy food, your water will not be refilled often, if ever. It can take a long time to order and an even longer time (45+ min) for your food to arrive. I wouldn't recommend going to Massawa when you're starving, or even slightly hungry. There's been 2 surprising occasions, among many, where the food came out within 30 minutes. Overall though, it's good food, bad service and a very inexpensive meal for 2. For my Ethiopian food fix, now I go to Harman's, which has similar food, quality and way better service.
Sweet Lady and Great Food. My mom and I went there on New Year's Day. She wasn't even technically open, but she was there working on a special order. She welcomed us with open arms and wished us a Happy New Year. Best ethiopian food I've ever tasted, hands down. I feel very lucky to live just down the street.
Loved. Took my mom there for mother's day. We tried an appetizer and then each got one of the platter options. Came with an amazing mix of dishes to try (2 types of chick peas, a spinach dish, lamb, beef, chicken). We tried to eat as much with our hands as possible but opted for utensils near the end. Portion was large enough that leftovers were taken home to my father who enjoyed it as much as us.
My favourite place in town. So much is made of the wait times, and yes they can be long. If you know that going in you won't be disappointed, and if you preorder your food you won't have any problems. They are very happy to oblige there and are wonderful to deal with. Obviously they're very proud of the food they serve and with good reason. I'm the furthest thing from a vegetarian but I think the lentil dishes, kik wat and kik alicha, are the most delicious things on the menu. Usually I get a house specialty B which has a bit of everything. So incredibly delicious, and the injera bread is better than anywhere else, it avoids the slightly yeasty taste you find in other places. The sambussas are a must for an appetizer. I've been going to this place for years and can't recommend it highly enough. AND - they do takeout!
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All Around Fantastic!. A friend and I tried Massawa for the first time tonight. We hadn't heard much about it; it was just a spur of the moment choice. A choice we're SO glad we made!
When we walked in they were packed and as we later found out were running with only one server that night (typically they have two). Yes, our food did take a relatively long time to get to use compared to places like Boston Pizza or Subway. However, I don't know about you but I enjoy a good conversation with a good friend. So waiting a while was actually a very refreshing change.
I'm not sure what my friend and I enjoyed more, the food or the service. Despite being all on her own our server was amazing, nice, capable, honestly concerned about us (presumably all of her tables) and gave just the right amount of guidance when we explained it was our first time and had no idea what to order.
As for the food I was a little scared, when reading the menu, of what I got myself into. Since I'm a big baby when it comes to spicy food! Our server suggested I try my order (I picked one of the house specials, they're like combo-plates) sans-jalapeños and it was perfect. I think it helped that to start my friend and I split the spinach roll appetizer, which was very spicy. We had a few bites of something really spicy to shock the tastebuds, then had time in between to have some water and let the burning stop. So by the time our meals came the palate was primed and ready for anything.
To make a long review short; bring your appetite, good company, order a drink, take your time, chat with your server (she's probably awesome) and expect to take home some tasty leftovers.
The food is really good and tasty. We didnt really have to wait that long for our food to arrive. The spinach appetizer was to die for. We ordered the house platter A, and also the fava beans puree. Both dishes were good. We ran out of pittas that came with the fava bean purree and asked the server for some more pieces, but she said extra pittas would be 1.75. We just thought they should give a few extra pieces of pita if someone asked for them. All in all, it was a great dining experience.
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Short Wait for Great Food. I decided to try Massawa recently for two reasons. First, because I love Ethiopian food and secondly, because my bf and I are currently on a vegan diet and I heard that they have a good selection of vegan dishes. Based on the reviews I was quite nervous about going because I had no idea how long it would take for us to get the food; I was hungry and I hoped I wouldn't have to wait an hour like others had reported.
On a Saturday night at 8pm the restaurant only had a few occupied tables. There was only one server working but she was great (and super friendly). To start we each tried the Massawa cocktail. Mine with guava and vodka, my bf's with mango and rum. They were delicious. We also each had a Sambussa ($1.95) which came out 15 minutes after ordering. The lentil mixture inside was delicious. However, I wish it had some with a sauce of some sort, perhaps tamarind would have been nice. For the main course we decided on the Vegetarian Platter ($10.99), which the waitress said was easily enough for 2 people. Just as we finished our appetizers the platter came out, filled with 2 pureed lentil dishes, a nicely seasoned spinach dish, and a rich root vegetable stew. All of the dishes and injera were delicious and very flavorful, and the single platter filled both of us up. We had finished our drinks and meals in under an hour, so there was no long waits at all!! Service was great and altogether with our 2 alcohol drinks, the bill was only $30! What a great deal for excellent service and tasty food. I would definitely recommend this restaurant and I probably will be back!
The food is excellent at this place, however i always find this place has a bit of a lengthy wait. in fact about the time it takes to split a bottle of wine. :)
Tasty. Super small and cute. Delicious and cheap. Didn't have to wait long for the food but there was no one else in the restaurant, so it might have been just because it was a weekday. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Went tonight for the first time in a few years. Had the veggie platter, it was so nutritious and delicious! The wait time was much less than it has been in the past also, not that it bothered me anyhow.
Contrary to almost all reviews service was spectacular and fast. We had later reservations for 930 on a Friday and arrived a lil late but we were fully served and done eating by 1030. The house special was super for 2 girls to share and still be packed full. That and a half caraf of red wine cost us less than 25$ and with tip (22 percent cause service was super) cost us about 32$ for a full dinner and wine for two with a great view in a beautiful venue. Would def return again and recommend.
Great dinner. Service was excellent, we were told ahead of time by friends to expect a long wait, but was it ever worth it! The food was amazing, our group of 10 had 4 large dishes, with 2 veg options, 1 beef, and 1 chicken. Was plenty of food at a great price. Also had the sambucas to start, again the food is well worth the wait. So impressed, will definately be back again!
Authentic and Healthy. Let's get this out of the way first....you will wait. They make per order and the general pace in the entire establishment is very relaxed. Be sure to go with someone you can talk to and enjoy just being with. This said, it is remarkably yummy fare of Eritrean and Ethiopian varieties. Beautiful vegetable purees and spongy breads are made for fork free eating and the pleasantness on the tummy is definitely welcomed. Friendly service and warm interior. Without a doubt...recommended.
I came for dinner at around 9pm on a Saturday, and another time at 7pm on a Wednesday. Both times were exceptional. The service is prompt and friendly. The restaurant was not crowded both times I went which was nice.
The food was incredible. I've eaten at a couple other Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants before, but this one takes the cake (or rather, the injera). The food was spicy and full of flavour - we ordered the combination platter with doro tibs, beef, chickpeas, spinach, and lamb wat. It was incredibly filling for two people and so tasty. I would go back in there in a second.
Wait times all vary. If you go during peak dinner hours expect a very long wait (upwards of an hour). Call ahead with your order and the time you want to be there eating so they can plan ahead- this results in a much shorter wait time.
We hadn't read reviews before we went, so we weren't really prepared for a wait, which there was. on a friday night, there was one waitress, and it seemed like one or two people cooking at the most. we ordered the #13, a chicken dish, and #18, the yatkilt wat. it was SO good. the best injera i have ever had. both dishes were wonderfully spiced, and full of fresh vegetables. one of the best meals i have ever had! and despite the wait, our server was very attentive and friendly. i am so glad this place is a 5 minute walk away! next time, i will just order a drink and deal with the wait if there is one.
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Massawa, better than ever!. I recently had a business colleague in from out of town. Trying to make a good Winnipeg impression, I decided to take her to Massawa for dinner when she said she enjoyed Ethiopian food. I forewarned her that there would be a significant wait. Well, I was wrong about that. We were seated immediately, were brought our drinks and appetizers within minutes of ordering and our food was in front of us within 30 minutes—unheard of at Massawa! Not only that, but the portion sizes, which had been diminishing over the years, were back to the old days of way too much for a person to eat in one sitting. Not to mention the fact that the food tasted better than it has in years. I was really impressed with this experience. And I should add that I've never not enjoyed an experience at Massawa, regardless of long waits and shrinking portions. The cherry on top of this experience was the server. I have never had such wonderful, cheerful, attentive and plain enjoyable service at Massawa; in fact, the service is generally apathetic at best. This waitress, though clearly suffering from a cold, was wonderful. She gauged the kind of people we were and when she realized she could joke around with us, she took every opportunity to do so. She anticipated our needs before we even knew we had them and really just could not have been better. Since that day 3 weeks ago, I keep trying to find an occasion to go back!
Very Tasty. I decided to try this place with a friend so I looked it up on here, after reading the reviews I decided that I would make a reservation and pre-order to avoid that dreaded 60-90 minute wait others commented about. However when we arrived at 7, we were not served our pre-ordered meals until 8:10, and our drinks didn't arrive till 7:30. The food was AMAZING though, but be prepared to wait.
Great food, perfectly authentic. Wait times for the entres may seem slow to many, but it's authentic, slow cooked meals for the meat dishes, which means be ready to wait. It's nice to have freshly made food, not frozen, pre-made or out of a box convenience speed cooking.
Plus, all the injera you could ever want!
Usually awesome food and good service but this last time was HORRIBLE! Waitress was non existent, our appetizer came out AFTER our main course and we waited 1 hour and 38 minutes for COLD food!!! I'll give them another chance because it's been wonderful in the past, but one more disaster like this and that'll be it!
Well worth the wait! I've gone several times and despite the wait the food is amazing. It's very unique and just a great place to go if your with good company if not well there's a quick pizza joint across the street. This place is worth the visit if you love food!
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Totally unique experience!. An Osborne Village favourite, it's back to basics at Massawa: slow cooked Ethiopian stews (wat) on a traditional flat bread (injeera).
Dishes are typically served family style on beautifully hand painted enamel platters and you will not and can not get utensils. Wat is eaten by tearing pieces of injeera and scooping up chunks of the stew (although finger bowls are provided).
A word to the wise...order an appy as service is notoriously slow. Sambussas are you best bet: a crunchy pastry shell akin to a samosa filled with subtly seasoned lentils. A couple of these will tide you over while you wait, but oh boy is it worth it.
Navigating the menu can be confusing but what you're really looking at is different spice mixes. Whether it's Doro Wat or Lega Tibs, spices are subtle and more about flavour than fire. But if you can't take the heat, be wary of the Awaze Tibs--cubes of beef with jalapenos. Although it's a personal favourite, it delivers way more punch than any other item on the menu, but it's easily managed by extra bread.
Masawa's injeera is without a doubt some of the freshest in the city so order more right from the start (especially if you have a big appetite like me).
I'm an unabashed meat eater, but I actually adore the vegetarian platter. Bursting with flavour it features lentils, chickpeas, potatoes and spinach. It's more than my wife can eat which is why I insist on individual platters rather than the family style. That way I can finish off hers.
There are no desserts to speak of so if you've got a sweet tooth, it's down the road to Baked Expectations.
First time trying ethiopian food and I really enjoyed it. Not too expensive. Really flavorful. The food took a while but not obscenely long and I didn't even notice it because I was with good company and the beer was good. The restaurant is very dim and quiet. Great for a quiet dinner out with friends. Hidden away in an upper Osborne level. The decor of the restaurant is very simple so I was not sure what to expect at first but I was very happy. Very relaxing, quiet, and very worth the money spent. Recieved a large portion that I thought was worth the $17 dollars. Will return again.
Scrumptious!. I went there with some friends for World Vegan Day, expecting the food to arrive late, as I was warned by many people. I thought this would annoy me, but the banter of friends made that a non-issue. When we arrived, there was sunlight, but as we finally had our food, the sun had set. The food was delicious. My other friends there had been there numerous times and had their favourites and I'll be there again for the Vegetarian Platter. If you're too impatient, don't go here, but if you want fresh and delicious Ethiopian food then by all means go here.
Massawa. I know a lot of people have complained about the service and wait times, but I have to say I thought our server did an excellent job, and I was happy with the timing of our meal. We did come for an 'early' supper (4:30 on a Friday), but were seated and brought waters right away. We had the Sambussa's, the Vegetarian Platter, and the Doro Tibs, all of which were scrumptious, and very fresh. We will definitely go back! I did ask the server about why they don't have their menu online, as you can pre-order your food if you are in a rush, and she said they are in the process of making new menus and that they might put it online in the future.
We came with a group of 8 people for my sister's birthday. Many of us have been here before, so we were ready for the wait. We ordered four meat dishes and four veggie dishes split between two platters. It took about an hour to get out food, which is not unreasonable considering every item is made to order. Our server was quick, friendly and helpful - partcularly impressive as she was the only server on the floor with about 32 diners in the restaurant. This is my fourth time here and it's always a positive experience.
Fantastic food, horrible service. We have been here a few times now, and absolutely love the food! It is fantastic! We have gone only in the evenings and the wait for our food has never been more than 20 minutes. Our only complaint was that the service was horrible. The waitress obviously hates her job and life in general! She shows obvious annoyance at having to wait tables. She is incredibly rude and gives an exasperated sigh when we want an additional drink or simply placing our order 2 hours before closing! I swear it's not just us, because other people always say the same thing. We are as friendly and accommodating as possible, knowing that she is not friendly, and each time it takes until we are about to pay before she is smiling and friendly.
Definitely recommend this restaurant, just don't expect to have a friendly waitress!
Take the night off!. Both times I've been, we've waited (literally) over an hour for our meals. The food is great and eating with your fingers is a nice change of scenery, but make sure that you bring good company and that you go BEFORE you get hungry because you'll be waiting a while for it to get there!
Worth the wait?. Food was amazing!! but as others have pointed out, we had to wait about an hour (and there was only one other table that night). Willing to try again, but may need to call our order ahead of time.
Fantastic. Here's the thing with Massawa: The chef makes everything fresh every night and nothing sits under a heat lamp. She brings out your food in order of when they were ordered. Waiting for this food is totally worth it, because it is fresh and very healthy (Injera bread is mostly whole wheat!!) Having used to work as Massawa, I've figured out that on a busy night like a weekend, you're sure to wait a while. However, go on a weekday, like Wednesday, and you'll barely wait over half an hour. Also, if you order one of the more basic, popular dishes like Doro Tibs, a Vegetarian Platter, Awaze Tibs, or one of the house specialities, it will come out faster.
Great food, everything was delicious. Many people complain about slow service but everything is made fresh! I can't wait to go again!
Great food.. Best Ethiopian food in the city as far as I am concerned, and wonderful atmosphere. It takes a long time for food to come out, but it is well worth the wait. Prices are very reasonable, too.
Love it.. The food is amazing, definitely a different dining experience. Don't go if you're in a hurry, but if you aren't it is worth the wait. The prices are surprisingly low too.
Best Ethiopian food in Western Canada. Service may be slow, but the food is absolutely worth the wait. Thier ability to maintain such a high level of quality over the best decade is admirable.
Great Ethiopian food. Really good ethiopian food. Slightly smaller portions then the place I go to in Edmonton but still more then enough. We got our food really quickly but we went late, near closing time so they might have been rushing...
Definitely recommended!!
Amazing food, but expect to wait a min of 1 hour food
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