Rosalind's Ethiopian Restaurant

(323) 936-2486

1044 S Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90019 34.057 -118.3642

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Neighborhoods: Mid City, Central LA

rosalindsrestaurant.com/

Hours:

Mon-Sun 11:00 AM - 2:00 AM

Price:

$

Last updated 11.08.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, People Watching, Family Style Dining, Lunch Spot, Date Spot, Dancing, Group Dining, Bar Scene

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

African, Ethiopian

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Rosalind's Ethiopian Restaurant

Featured Review

Tara Lis

Contributor

In Short – This spacious two-room restaurant is a draw among native neighbors as well as adventurous eaters enjoying their first foray into Ethiopian food. For the natives, there are popular dance nights for socializing and flat screen TVs for sports-watching among familiar faces. For the uninitiated, it's a good study in Ethiopian 101, from the gojo hut-covered tables to photos and symbols of Africa covering the bright yellow walls. Strong incense flavors the experience as diners dig into shared veggie, meat and chicken combinations.

Editor's Tips

Where to Sit:
On a nice day, the patio is great for people-watching; otherwise, grab one of the hut-style tables or communal seating areas.
Look Good:
The menu features an introduction to the cuisine and tips on how to avoid social faux pas during the meal.
What to Drink:
There's a limited amount of beer and wine in addition to the full bar. If you're going to order a cocktail, keep it simple.
ambiance
85.71000099182129% positive
  1. “Bad service and poor atmosphere”
  2. “liked the decor and vibe and just felt really comfortable there!”
  3. “The community-style dining is always fun with a group, but the meal was flavor-packed, too.”
  4. “The atmosphere was nice and the we had really good service.”
  5. “Food and atmosphere to warm your soul”
  6. “Definitely a great cheap date place and the decor makes it feel much more authentic than some of the other places along fairfax.”
  7. “The atmosphere is charming--hut roofs over most tables and the bar, and the tables for 2 featured drum-shaped tables with recessed tops out of which the food is eaten.”
drinks
50.0% positive
  1. “Rosalind also has a full bar, along with Ethiopian beer and wine.”
  2. “full bar is a bonus, but there is better Ethiopian to be had along Fairfax.”
  3. “If you have a large group, order the full pot of coffee.”
  4. “Great food, try their cocktails.”
  5. “The atmosphere is charming--hut roofs over most tables and the bar, and the tables for 2 featured drum-shaped tables with recessed tops out of which the food is eaten.”
food quality
81.82000160217285% positive
  1. “. . . food was inedible.”
  2. “Great Ethiopian food”
  3. “The food is wonderful, the setting is nice, and the service is good.”
  4. “wish they would have told us that most people order the a la carte dishes which then all come together on a plate for sharing, so when you go make sure you know it is meant to be family style, but our combo plate with three items plus an appetizer would”
  5. “I'd recommend this for anybody looking for good food and great people.”
  6. “The food was tasty and spicy, so go prepared for spice!”
  7. “Terrible customer service and mediocre food”
  8. “Fantastic food”
  9. “My family urged me to post this due to the horrible condition of the food.”
  10. “The community-style dining is always fun with a group, but the meal was flavor-packed, too.”
  11. “Definitely a great cheap date place and the decor makes it feel much more authentic than some of the other places along fairfax.”
  12. “This is one of my favorite restaurants in LA, great food and inexpensive.”
  13. “Both dishes came out in a timely fashion, the entree with a big plate of that wonderful Injera crepe-like bread.”
  14. “The atmosphere is charming--hut roofs over most tables and the bar, and the tables for 2 featured drum-shaped tables with recessed tops out of which the food is eaten.”
  15. “could not get enough of the potatoes--the combination of spices was fantastic!”
  16. “just ate at Rosalind's with my boyfriend and 2 friends this evening and had a delightful meal.”
  17. “Great food, try their cocktails.”
  18. “really enjoyed the vegetarian dish.”
  19. “In the end, it was an experience though, the food wasn't terrible, just not prepared will with the beef being over cooked and tough.”
  20. “It's difficult to get great food and great service from many of the African restaurants.”
  21. “The food at Rosalind's is fantastic.”
  22. “the service was enjoyable and the food fantastic.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “nice place.”
  2. “this is a great place”
  3. “Definitely a great cheap date place and the decor makes it feel much more authentic than some of the other places along fairfax.”
service
79.16999816894531% positive
  1. “Bad service and poor atmosphere”
  2. “It's difficult to get great food and great service from many of the African restaurants.”
  3. “the service was enjoyable and the food fantastic.”
  4. “The waitress was slow, but helpful.”
  5. “wish they would have told us that most people order the a la carte dishes which then all come together on a plate for sharing, so when you go make sure you know it is meant to be family style, but our combo plate with three items plus an appetizer would”
  6. “Terrible customer service and mediocre food”
  7. “The food is wonderful, the setting is nice, and the service is good.”
  8. “The portions are as large as you would expect, and the service is really friendly.”
  9. “I'd recommend this for anybody looking for good food and great people.”
  10. “Overall, good experience, though I wish the service had been a little bit better.”
  11. “The restaurnat lacked the charming vision I had of dark lights and small round tables, especially since it had bright lighting, big tables and only small wicker ones that are more for show, as well as an unplesant waitres/hostess that would slam the plate”
  12. “The atmosphere was nice and the we had really good service.”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “And the price was very reasonable.”
  2. “This is one of my favorite restaurants in LA, great food and inexpensive.”
  3. “The portions are as large as you would expect, and the service is really friendly.”
  4. “wish they would have told us that most people order the a la carte dishes which then all come together on a plate for sharing, so when you go make sure you know it is meant to be family style, but our combo plate with three items plus an appetizer would”
  5. “The prices are quite affordable.”
  6. “Definitely a great cheap date place and the decor makes it feel much more authentic than some of the other places along fairfax.”
wait time
50.0% positive
  1. “The waitress was slow, but helpful.”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

08/23/09

recommended for vegetarians

by umm_okay at Citysearch

The food at Rosalind's is fantastic. We ordered the vegan appetizer and the vegetarian combination plate as an entree. Both dishes came out in a timely fashion, the entree with a big plate of that wonderful Injera crepe-like bread. My only issue with the restaurant was that one of our two servers wasn't friendly, and only refilled our water once. We waited a very long time for the bill, but it was okay because it gave us time to sponge up leftover buttery sauce with injera. Overall, good experience, though I wish the service had been a little bit better.

  • Pros: food, prices
  • Cons: service
1 Star Rating: Poor

12/17/08

Awful!

by rg90036 at Citysearch

I had take-out from this restaurant and ordered the combination appetizer, the beef and chicken entree and the vegetarian entree. Firstly, the person who placed my order was very rude and rushed me through my order as if they were very busy. I walk in 15 minutes to a completely empty restaurant. My family urged me to post this due to the horrible condition of the food. The appetizer was all old. The shrimp must have been there for days to have a jerky like texture. The meatball and the other round bread-like things were also very tough and dry as if they have been sitting in the kitchen for a long time. The beef and chicken dish was almost entirely sauce with very tiny pieces of meat and one drumstick and one egg. The vegetarian entree was decent but I've had much much better across the street.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

11/06/08

Food and atmosphere to warm your soul

by americangirl08 at Citysearch

Ended up at Roaslinds the other night with my fiance and his buddy. We were tired and hungry. Our experience at Rosalinds brought us back to life! After indicating our Vegetarian inclination to our lovely server, she decided for us. I love it when you feel you can trust the staff with your food selection! Our salads were crisp and refreshing, the entree - a giant platter of scrumptiosness to be shared family style using Injera -was awesome. I liked the decor and vibe and just felt really comfortable there! We will definitely be back!

  • Pros: food that makes you feel good!
  • Cons: parking
4 Star Rating: Recommended

02/18/08

The popular ethiopian spot

by foodloversarah at Citysearch

My boyfriend and I went here to experience ethiopian food for the first time, and this place out of all of Little Ethiopia was the nicest looking and the most popular. The food was tasty and spicy, so go prepared for spice! I wish they would have told us that most people order the a la carte dishes which then all come together on a plate for sharing, so when you go make sure you know it is meant to be family style, but our combo plate with three items plus an appetizer would have been enough for 3 people and it is so cheap! Definitely a great cheap date place and the decor makes it feel much more authentic than some of the other places along fairfax. Definitely a must try if you haven't tried it before! We will be back to sample some of the other items now that we know how it works! The Sambusas are a must

  • Pros: cheap food, fun to share, unique food taste
  • Cons: slow with water service, ethiopian beers kind of pricey
1 Star Rating: Poor

01/28/08

Bad service and poor atmosphere

by tarametblog at Citysearch

The restaurnat lacked the charming vision I had of dark lights and small round tables, especially since it had bright lighting, big tables and only small wicker ones that are more for show, as well as an unplesant waitres/hostess that would slam the plates down and not answer us. It took several explanations to explain the fact that we couldn't have the lamb since it had curry on it (allergies) and if she could subsitute beef instead without ordering another dish. In the end, it was an experience though, the food wasn't terrible, just not prepared will with the beef being over cooked and tough. I had to go to Carl's Jr. afterwards jut to fill up properly.

The Details on Rosalind's Ethiopian Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • always fun communitystyle dining
  • liked vibe
  • truyl enjoyed real afrikan tradition
  • order full pot
  • really cool inside
  • charming vision
  • big tables
  • great ethiopian food
  • really good service
  • nice atmosphere
  • big combination plate
  • great cheap date place
  • mediocre food
  • good experience
  • helpful waitress
  • quite affordable price
  • great most people
  • great decor
  • full bar
  • not recommend restaurant
  • nice setting
  • horrible condition
  • delightful meal
  • amazing taste
  • absolutely awful customer service
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