Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant

08/19/2008 Posted by SYMBLUE

I dined at Bluenile Ethiopian Restaurant with a group of friends last weekend and we had the best experience. The ambiance was casual. The food was spicy and delicous. The coffee ceremony was great. The waitress was pleasant and attentive. One of our order was mixed up but we were offered a free item from the menu. If you are in the mood to explore, I recommend you visit Blue Nile.

08/10/2008 Posted by kashmere86

I have been eating here for the past 6 years. The food is good but there is something to be said about customer service. I am usally one of there biggest fans and I am always telling about trying something new. But after my last encounter with them I don't think I will ever being going back and this saden me greatly. I ordered my food by phone because it takes awhile for them to prepare it. When I got there they had prepared the wrong order. The waitress/hostess apologized for the mix up but stated that I would have to pay for the wrong order before they would prepare the right order and pay for that too. I had ordered the #18 Alicha which is a beef dish. They prepared the #15 Tibs(Blue Nile special) which is lamb. I hear that lamb is good however, my family and I do not eat lamb for religious reasons. I explained this to the lady and she continued to tell me that they could change the order but add to it and I pay for the whole thing-even the food that I don't eat. I traveled about 18 miles to get it and ended leaving without anything. So I travel a total of 36 miles for nothing. It did not make any sense that because they cooked the wrong thing that they would not try to correct. It was so surreal I wanted to ask if I was being "Punked" because I had never experience it thing like that and I don't expect to experience it again. Just beware.

Pros: Good Food

Cons: Prices, long wait for food, distance, language/communication can be a problem sometimes.

04/09/2008 Posted by cse1973

I didn't know what I was doing because I've never eaten Ethiopian food before, but the two orders my boyfriend and I shared were both great. One was minced lamb, the other a chicken dish, both spicy. Served family style on a big round tray. We spent about 30 dollars (including beer) and there was enough for dinner the next night as well. The service is very friendly.

Pros: great food cheap, fun different (for my white self) experience

Cons: none really

03/26/2008 Posted by trent880

This is probably my favorite place in Houston, and one of the very few reasons I leave the 610 loop. The service is always very friendly and the food is fantastic. The injera is soft and consistent, the Ethiopian equivalent of stews and "stir fries" are simple yet very flavorful and fresh, and the vegetarian options would make even some of the staunchest carnivores consider a meat-free meal. I try to go at least once a month and try to "hook" as many friends onto the cuisine as possible. Not everything is pureed as another reviewer stated, only some of the vegetarian options. If you've never had it think of it as various stir-fries or hearty stews that you pick up with a crepe that tastes like sourdough. Don't go for a quick dinner though--everything is made to order and does take a bit longer than normal.

Pros: Food, price, variety, service

Cons: The neighborhood might scare off some people

01/19/2008 Posted by ricecakesaregood

the food is good, but the portions are on the small side. my husband and i get always get 2 veggie plates and 2 doro wats. that's we've been there a few time and everyone is always pretty friendly. my 2 year old daughter doesn't' do well there, but the they let us bring in outside food for her. that's awesome.

Pros: good food, served family style- great for groups.

Cons: small portions

12/26/2007 Posted by kilts

Though it's a million miles away (okay, I exaggerate; it's just 15 miles from downtown), this destination is worth the trip. We miss our previous Ethiopian favorites (one located on Westheimer, near Montrose, the other located on Bellaire Dr. right in the middle of Bellaire), so were happy to discover Blue Nile by accident, while a drive on Richmond past Fountainview. Blue Nile uses very fresh ingredients; their injera is deliciously spongy. I like their vegetarian options best - good recommendation is to get a couple of orders of the vegetable combination. Try the Tej too - a honey wine special to Ethiopia. Beautiful waitresses complement the meal :)

Pros: fresh food, authentic Ethiopian

Cons: far away

11/19/2007 Posted by koreanberry

I've never had Ethiopian food, so it was definitely a new experience. You get to dip your Injera (Ethiopian crepe) into a communal dish of veggies or meats and eat with your fingers. The Injera is a little sour and I wasn't able to get used to it. The food is tasty overall, and it's neat to be able to try different types of vegetables and meats on one singular plate. The food took a while to come out, and it was a little pricy. I wouldn't eat there all the time, but I think you should go if you want to try something new!

Pros: Choice between a normal table or an Ethiopian-style table; Lots of parking; Friendly service

Cons: Food took a long time coming out; Not the most brightly-lit parking lot or safest part of town; Kind of expensive

09/19/2007 Posted by chilmin

My friends had warned me that Ethiopian food tastes horrible because the bread is sour and the meats pureed, but I'd have to disagree. The bread was slightly sour but actually really good and filling. My friend and I ordered the vegetable combination and a lamb entree, which were all pretty tasty but not something I'd eat all the time. The service was great, though the location is a little sketchy. I'd recommend this place to anyone who's looking to try something new.

Pros: service, food

Cons: location

06/29/2007 Posted by isaraarasi

I love Ethiopian food, and have been to Ethiopian restaurants in New York and the Little Ethiopia part of L.A. So far, Blue Nile is the best Ethiopian food I've ever had! The only two negatives are - it's easy to miss, especially at night, and their service is a bit iffy. Sometimes it's good, but the last time we went it was really horrible (very slow).

Pros: delicious, inexpensive food

Cons: location, service

11/24/2006 Posted by pinoyvlf

This is a great place to take a date to if you want to eat and experience something different. Just make sure that your date is comfortable with this kind of thing. The food is delicious and they have combination plates for those that can't decide what to get. My date and I made the mistake of getting two combination plates and we were FULL. There was a lot more food in those combination plates than I had originally thought. The taste of the bread that you use to scoop and eat the food with had a very sourish like vinegar-y taste, so be sure that you and your date are open to such things. I give two thumbs up to this place for anyone that wants "different.". I also think they have music that gets played here at night (I think I saw them setting up as we left)

Pros: Cheap good food and great experience eating with your hands. Awesome decorum that helps put you in the Ethiopian mood?

Cons: May be two different for some people that aren't open