Nyala Ethiopian Cuisine

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1076 S Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90019

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(323) 936-5918
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Nyala Ethiopian Cuisine - Los Angeles, CA
Reviews
( 9 )
( 6 )
( 1 )
( 1 )
( 2 )

Best

I've been eating here for more than 20 years. I've eaten at practically every Ethiopian restaurant in L.A....

Worst

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 plat...

The Best Ethiopian Restaurant Of All 12/20/2012

I've been eating here for more than 20 years. I've eaten at practically every Ethiopian restaurant in L.A.... more
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The Best Ethiopian Restaurant Of All 12/20/2012

babysweetpea Provided by Partner
I've been eating here for more than 20 years. I've eaten at practically every Ethiopian restaurant in L.A. and this is by far the best. The yello... more
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yummy healthy budget-conscious eats 3/1/2010

lentils, veggies, stewed meats, injera bread... all are excellent. dishes can be made mild and utensils can be provided for those less adventurous. been to this place a million times and have never been disappointed. wine and beer served so pick out a designated driver beforehand. great for small groups of people as the staff have no problem pushing tables together as long as you have the sense not to go when it's packed and without a call ahead. i know, it seems obvious but this is LA. Pros: inexpensive Cons: some parking issues on busy nights more
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Terrible place stay away 10/14/2007

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 the food we were in shock, the plate had enough food to feed maybe 1 person. the food wasn't good and we were really dissapointed. will never go back again, if you are hungry stay away... Cons: not enough food and not that tasty more
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Yummy! 8/22/2007

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 lentils and the cabbage on the veggie plate. The staff was nice but we did have to grab their attention. I don't mind doing that but I know others do. Overall, a great experience and I'll be going back with other friends! Pros: Great Food, Great Atmosphere, Cost more
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Best Ethiopian in Los Angeles! 11/20/2006

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 and meat eaters - a real bargain. The honey wine and Tusker beer are a plus. Pros: food, price, atmosphere, friendly service Cons: parking more
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My favorite place for Ethiopean 11/2/2006

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 shown up just before noon to park behind the restaurant in the alleyway and enter from the rear, but there are only two spaces. Otherwise, you have to find street parking either on Fairfax (good luck!) or up to several blocks away on residential streets. Beware of street cleaning days! I've gotten a ticket before. For dinner the lights are dim and the atmoshpere is warm and inviting. For lunch, it's lively. I highly recommend the honey wine to go with your meal! more
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Good ethiopian 10/5/2006

Not ususally a fan of ethiopian food, this place was quite good, and served reasonable portions for the... more
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Good ethiopian 10/5/2006

Alex Provided by Partner
Not ususally a fan of ethiopian food, this place was quite good, and served reasonable portions for the price. The decor is a little strange; I wa... more
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Try Ethiopian here first 9/28/2006

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 places in a row along this part of Fairfax. Nyala is a wonderful place for ""beginners"" to go because it's classy, very clean, and has great food. Merkato, next door, is a little more rustic, authentic, and cheaper, but probably better to try the second time around. And if you've never had Honey wine, it's great with the spicier dish options. Pros: Good food & ambiance; more variety than most Cons: Slightly pricier than the others along the row more
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mediocre food, small portions and inattentive service 7/23/2006

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 Waitress was just not there and there just wasn't enough food. I've eaten Ethiopian for the last 7 years in Oakland SF & LA but at Nyala I just felt.... unsatisfied. How expensive are lentials, collard greens and carrots? If you want more and in MHO better in food go up the street. and staff that seem to care. I'd never go here again. Pros: nice decor, and not terrible food Cons: lousy service and small portions more
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Best Ethiopian restaurant in LA!! 2/12/2006

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 nice and courteous staff. The meat platters are out of this world, every bite is a joy; especially, after having some rare imported beers and wines. And on top of everything, it's very inexpensive! I cannot recommend it highly enough! Pros: Food, Price, Atmosphere more
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Real Ethiopian Food is NOT this bland... 10/28/2005

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 to try Ethiopian for the first time. A friend of mine had recommended it to me, so I took them there. Although the place has a nice atmosphere, the food was bland, if not downright bad. I felt terrible, because this place turned my friends off of Ethiopian food. The friend who recommended the place went back after I told her how bad the food was, and she agreed. The waitress said there had been some change of management since the last time she went, which would explain the bad food. If you like Ethiopian food, you should steer clear of Nyala. Pros: atmosphere Cons: food, parking more
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I didnt care for it 8/15/2005

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. The chicken was ok but the beef portions were awful. They had a funny taste to them. Although there were two of us they didnt bring us very much food. About a spoonfull of each type of meat. There were 4 total. You eat with a bitter spongy type flat bread. Although I didnt like the food it was fun to try something different. Cons: strange food, very small portions more
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Worth the visit-interesting experience 10/2/2004

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 eaten with the special crepe/sponge/foam like bread they serve. The flavors of the meal were certainly not like anything we'd had before. There's hints of currie, a la Indian, but that is where the similarities end. The vegetable platter was delicious- mainly composed of mashed beans and lentils. The beef was flavor too- very earthy and on the spicier side, but does not overpower the other flavors. Don't be bashful about eating with your hands. Maybe not the type of thing you want to do on a first date, but perfect for a group of friends. I may try some different Ethiopian places, but the food didn't amaze me. Pros: Dining adventure, Courteous staff, Fun eating style Cons: , Parking can bad more
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Just try it, you'll like it!! 5/10/2004

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 always had a GREAT meal there. I have never saved room for dessert, but maybe next time. If you've never tried Ethiopian cuisine, then this is the perfect place to ease into it...I suggest selecting a combo and dig in! more
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My FAVORITE Ethiopian restaurant! 4/28/2004

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 years with walls that have been painted a warm, rust color and music. The main thing here though is the food! It's also so much fun to eat with the injera instead of the traditional Western knife and fork. I always get one of the meat dishes and the veggie dishes. Pros: Food is excellent Cons: , service is mediocre more
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Yum! 7/27/2003

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 attentive. You'll have to seek them out for more water, beer, wine, etc. There is a charge on soda refills--strange for L.A. The coffee should not be missed at the end of the meal. Pros: Great food, Good prices, Coffee Cons: Parking, Parking, PARKING more
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Menu for Nyala Ethiopian Cuisine


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Editorial

  • In Short
    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...

  • 10/22/2007 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon-Sun: 11:30am-10:30pm
  • Payments: Diner's Club, Master Card, American Express, Discover, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Central LA, Mid City
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