Messob Ethiopian Restaurant
(323) 938-8827
1041 S Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles,
CA
90019
34.0572
-118.3645
Neighborhoods: Mid City, Central LA
Reviews & Ratings for Messob Ethiopian Restaurant
24 reviews
What users are saying:
Showing 1-10 of 24 reviews
the best piece of sh!t in la
by maaaason
February 15, 2009
This was the worst dining experience of my life - a real sin. First, we were shuffled out of the cute, cozy dining area into a drafty room in the back of the restaurant. The walls were yellow, cracked and peeling. There were tears in the tablecloths. The room wasn't even arranged symmetrically - the chairs were scattered haphazard among tables. The lights were yellow. We waited exactly 58 minutes from when were ordered to be served our food. During this time, a man lurked around, handing out napkins and assuring us our food would arrive in a few minutes. He gave us a free appetizer when we "reached" the 45 minutes mark. The appetizer was really good, but the rest of the food was disgusting. The chicken looked like it was coated in plastic; it was all slick, stringy pink-in-spots dark meat. The vegetable dish consisted of boiled cabbage. After a few bites, everything was nauseating - it was like a zesty swamp. It was such an awful dining experience we found it hilarious. Although we left, feeling sick, and still unsatiated. This restaurant is a piece of sh!t.
- Pros: free appetizer to compensate for hour wait
- Cons: everything else
Great food, good value
by valifornia
January 31, 2009
We've been here a couple of times and we've always liked it. We went again last night. The food does not disappoint -- particularly the lentils. The service is friendly, albeit a bit slow at times. We'll definitely go back. The only thing to warn about is some of the lower tables in the center of the restaurant have proportionally low chairs, which may be uncomfortable for people with back problems.
- Pros: Great food, good prices
- Cons: Slightly slow service, low tables in the middle of the restaurant
Great Food and Coffee
by dawn826
August 13, 2008
My friends and I go out to dinner every month and pick a different restaurant. This month was Messob. We arrived at 6 PM on July 30. There were only a few people in the restaruant but when we left it was full. I wanted to try Ethiopian food. We ordered the meat and vegetable platter. Though I did not like one or two items on the platter overall the food was delicious and the service was good. The owner came over and spoke to us twice. I really love it when the owner or chef comes to the table. A restaurant goes up a few notches in my book when that happens. It shows they care. We ordered the coffee. They give you a great deal of coffee and it was the BEST coffee I have ever tasted.. Better than any of those coffee places that you find on every corner. So, if you are a coffee nut you NEED to go.
- Pros: Coffee
- Cons: none
i'm bringing all my friends here
by bruizez
May 27, 2008
My boyfriend and i have had ethiopian food a few times before in northern california, but never in LA. so we decided to give Messob a try. The food was absolutely delicious. We ordered the combinations and they were so good. Perfect price for the perfect amount of food. Service was great, everyone was friendly. They have really neat seating areas that I have yet to try. Go in a large group and you get to be seated in this hut like thing. They also have a sink outside of the bathrooms for handwashing!
- Pros: food!! everything!
- Cons: can't think of any
Excellent Food -- Insanely Good Value!
by artegone
May 22, 2008
I visit Messob pretty often and if I lived any closer to it, I'd probably be there once a week. It's an insanely good value! The food is great & they have combo platters so that you can try a little of everything. I love the vegetarian combo platter. (I am NOT a vegetarian, but this is REALLY good!) It's supposed to feed 2 people, but in actually could feed 4. Plus, it comes with baklava. Add a couple glases of mead and your bill is about $30. You can't beat that!
- Pros: Great food for CHEAP!
- Cons: You will be uncomfortably full when you leave...
Mediocre at best, aloof and unfriendly service
by mhb1954
March 04, 2008
I've had some knock-out Eritrean and Ethiopian food, and this was just so-so. I wish I'd gone across the street to Rosalind's which I think is better. The food at Messob tasted like it had been made in a large batch, and the flavor was bland. The wait staff didn't seem particularly friendly, either, but that could have been a bit of a cultural thing. I don't need to have someone hold my hand and tell me I'm wonderful, but a smile and some earnest interest in my dining experience is always welcome. And that reminds me: we were never asked about how we liked our food... until we were well finished. I wasn't impressed and won't return in the near future.
- Pros: Cozy inside
- Cons: So-so food and cool (aloof) service
Good for first-timers and veterans
by sueinthepark
February 28, 2008
My friend visited from Virginia, and wanted to try Ethiopian. We were seated immediately at one of the traditional tables (Messobs) but decided it wasn't very comfortable so we moved over to a regular table.
The only issue we had with the place, and I believe another reviewer mentioned it as well) is that the waitresses who seemed to be native Ethiopian, didn't do much to answer any of our questions. Since nether of us had ever been to an Ethiopian restaurant and knew nothing about the food we figured the staff could help guide us through our experience. Although very sweet and with a big smile, her answer to each question about the menu was "It's very good-very traditional." Since we were both vegetarian we figured we couldn't go wrong with the vegetarian sampler. I'm slightly adventurous, but I still wouldn't mind KNOWING what I'm eating! It was good and traditional, and now my friend and I have a new experience to look back on.
We also liked that they have complimentary valet parking!
- Pros: Free Valet Parking
- Cons: Know what you're eating before you go
Great food, different
by t2_thomas
February 11, 2008
This was the first time that I ever tried a Ethiopian Cuisine. I must say I loved the experience at Messob for a change. My firend and I tried an appetizer (sambussa) combination dish (bread, lamb, chicken, peas), beaf, iced tea and a sweet dish. Sambussa is the same as the Indian samosa, a deep-fried dish stuffed with peas and spices. The main dish consisted of a big bread on a big plate, with the different spicy "curries" on it. It was very good.
About the waitresses, one of them was nice and smiling and cordial, the other was a bit serious. While the first one took our orders patiently, understanding the fact that we had no idea about Ethiopian cuisine, the other didn't even care to explain(we asked, she didn't understand or she didn't care) that the food she was serving was to be eaten with hands and not with utensils, we figured it out after looking around.
Overall, I however have a positive impression about the place and the food, though the cuisine seems pretty limited in variety.
- Pros: Great food, different food.
Delicious Ethiopian Food
by joanovarq
January 06, 2008
This is a wonderful restaurant right in Little Ethiopia. The decor is "fun" to say the least -- I enjoy sitting in the little straw "tiki hut" at the front. Although the service is on the slow side, the food is delicious. I love the awaze tibs (beef). The doro wat (chicken & hard-boiled egg) is also delicious but not a great value, as they only give you like 2 skinny chicken legs for $10. Both the meat and vegetarian dishes are yummy, although this is not the place to go if you don't like spicy food. Food is served the traditional way -- without individual plates and without utensils -- and you just use injera (spongy flat bread) to scoop up the food with your hands.
- Pros: yummy food, fun decor
- Cons: parking, slow service
Since 1985, this warm and inviting family-run eatery has served authentic cuisine in the heart of Little Ethiopia.
by Tara Lis
October 31, 2007
In Short
Pleasant smells waft through the air as diners are greeted by one of the pair of brothers who own the restaurant or an equally attentive hostess. A neat row of glass-top tables sit comfortably on both sides of the room, with special Ethiopian straw tables known as the restaurant's namesake, mesob, in the center of the room. Two larger ones are perched communally in the front window. The menu includes traditional vegetarian sampler dishes, house specialty chili-spiced beef kitfo and more mild chicken breast.
