Asmara Restaurant in Portland - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Worth the trip for something exotic, different, and tasty. Thumbs up!

I ordered extra hard boiled eggs with my meal. After waiting over an hour the meal had no hard boiled eggs. The menu said it came with hard boiled eggs though.

Vegetarian platter was delightful and the perfect amount for the three of us. Delicious food, especially the Shiro. Prompt and friendly service.

What a wonderful resturant. I always recommend the vegetarian sampler and the spicy chicken (Doro wat). You are in for a treat here

Nice little place. Delicious food. Great service. If you want aromatic/well spiced food, try Asmara Restaurant.

This is one of our favorite places to go out to eat. I don't know of any other Eritrean restaurant in the area, but that's okay because they never disappoint us. It is not fancy, but the food is absolutely delicious, with a varied menu (including vegan options) and a warm and friendly staff. Highly recommend!

Small restaurant with delicious food.

Just - ok. Ordered the veg sampler platter to go and it didn't even fill 1 to go container (for close to $70). Wow. Taste was just ok. Glad we tried it (we eat a lot of Ethopian & Eritrean food) but for the $$$ we probably won't return. 😔

Amazing food, honey wine and the owner is fun to chat with!!!

Authentic Eritrean food, served in the traditional style. Owner was very friendly and helped us choose what to get.

Good food. Friendly staff. Good value.

Excellent Eritrean cuisine. If you haven’t tried it, treat yourself. The injera is tasty and the entrees even better. The owners do everything so it’s like you’re dining in their home restaurant. We had the spinach, collared greens, and spicy chickpeas. The honey wine and homemade tea were excellent additions. Highly recommend!

Excellent food. Allow plenty of time here for the pace of service.

I visited before Covid and remember it being good, but underwhelmed by the size of the dish and injera given. Came here for date night before a show the other night. The atmosphere is casual with nice cultural art. The two of us shared the vegetarian sampler, a $70 platter, that is advertised to feed 3-4 people, thinking we’d have some leftovers for later. The dishes were very tasty and the honey wine was alright. The biggest downside was that we polished off that platter in a matter of minutes. The portions were definitely not going to feed 3-4 people. Maybe 3-4 children. A bit disappointed that we paid so much money for such a small portion, it makes we wonder if they altered the portion size because there was only two of us? I don’t know, but maybe ordering a couple of entrees instead of the sampler would’ve been better, though I’m not convinced it would’ve been any better of a portion size. Again, the service was good, the food was good, it just left us wanting more.

This time I got the chicken tibsi on injera bread instead of rice -- I was told that they had no rice, even though it's on the menu. They had just opened up, so they couldn't have run out. I'm not a big fan of injera, so it diminished the dish for me a little. Otherwise, everything was good.

The best etrin food 😊 will order again

Authentic, delicious, friendly. A perfect follow up to seafood the night before.

It’s been a long time since I was here but I remember the friendliness, the authenticity of the flavors (I’ve been to Ethiopia whose cuisine is virtually the same) and the simple yet inviting atmosphere as if it were yesterday.

I recently brought a couple of friends here for their first Eritrea experience. We had the vegetarian sampler. It was plenty of food for four people. Amazing as always. If it's busy, do yourself a favor and wait for a table. -Jacie Leopold

Having never had African cuisine before, never mind Eritrean, I was excited to try Asmara (I later found out that Asmara is the capital city of Eritrea, thus the restaurant's name). I got the lamb tibsi -- lamb cubes sauteed in green peppers, onions, tomatoes, and spices. It came with a choice of rice or flat bread (I got the rice), a small salad, and a choice of sides -- I opted for the cabbage, carrots and potatoes in a yellow sauce. Everything was delicious! The serving was huge, enough to take home for another meal. I'll definitely go back and try some of their other dishes.

Don’t waste your time. Take your money to Red Sea where they actually take orders. She acted like she didn’t want to take my order. Said they were too busy. I felt like she was discriminatory towards me because I couldn’t articulate exactly the dish I wanted.I was sitting outside the business and offered to come in and show her the dish so I could make it easier and her reply was no you won’t get this food till hours later. Again won’t refer this place or even waste my time to try and come here again.

Trying Eritrean food for the first time and I wasn’t disappointed. A bit pricy, but delicious!

The best food I’ve had in Portland!! I ordered the vegetarian sampler for my mom, sister, and I, and I’m surprised there’s leftovers because it was that good! The injera was so light and tangy, and all the veggie mains were so flavorful and cooked to perfection. I highly recommended this spot to everyone!!

Best Eritrean food in town!!!! Must try

Good food nice people. Conferting and calm place. Overall very happy with the food and experience. Nice to experience this culture

Delicious and healthy food. Like to come here for take out and to dine in sometimes.

The food is incredible. The family who owns/runs Asmara are very sweet and the service is excellent. It takes a while to be served because of the preparation that goes into it. Well worth the wait though. Just don't show up hangry and take it out on them! ;~)

The food and service here is amazing! I will definitely be coming back.

I'll definitely be back. Family run and super welcoming, they were busy with takeout orders while I dined in. One other dine-in group joined me later, so not crowded. The neighborhood location and vibe were pleasant, and the short walk from downtown was convenient. Even if the food wasn't the best I've had, it was tasty and feeling I was so welcome was more important.

Delicious food (we went for the vegetarian ones) and lovely service.

Amazing food! The hostess was very sweet and provided information about what we didn’t know! Try the tea, fiery chicken and Sambusa :) Highly recommended!

Good food and really good drinks.

Awesome food, first time having Eritrean cuisine and it was great. Friendly staff as well.

Very flavorful, simply delicious and incredibly friendly and attentive staff. My first time here with my friends…and we already planned the next time when finishing up the meal. Also a colorful and interesting decoration.

Super friendly family that runs the restaurant. Excellent food!

We were looking for a restaurant that wasn't seafood for our last night in Portland and found Asmara online. So happy we did as it was the best meal we've had in years! If you like African food, want a home-cooked meal and friendly service try this restaurant. We ordered injura with lamb in yellow garlic sauce, beef that was in a lovely sauce I was unfamiliar with, potatoes, cabbage and carrots in mild yellow sauce and collards and kale along with salads. All are served on the injura (a light, fluffy pancake type bread) and eaten with fingers (not forks, but you can ask for them). 3 bottles of Stella beer and the bill was $47., which was under the price we paid for chowder with a glass of wine elsewhere. Family owned and run (mom does the cooking), try this for a great meal at a great price!

Incredible food. Super friendly. Highly recommend. Great Vegan options too.

Very small portions for the money.

I got the fiery chicken but I tried the regular chicken too and that was better. Pretty big portions. No reservation needed. Staff extremely helpful and accommodating. Wonderful experience.

Always amazing. Service is always exquisite. Glad to see they're still rocking after all this time

Fantastic flavors, unique eating experience. Highly recommend.

The food was excellent and the staff were friendly.

The huge portions, incredibly flavorful food, and the experience of both eating with your hands and trying something (most likely) new should be enough cause to check this place out! Keep your expectations of atmosphere low; this place is all about the food and the folks cooking it for you.

Best Eriteriean food in Portland. If you want to try something new and unique it is worth it.

The best food I've had in Portland! The service was timely and the staff was welcoming. The food was insanely flavorful and the injera was the perfect accompaniment to it all. I'll definitely be coming back the next time I'm in the city.

Food was excellent and authentic. Beer selection is Heineken or Stella. Friendly proprietress. Glacial service by worth the wait. Ambience is somewhat lacking. Would definitely go again but plan for a very leisurely meal.

Amazing vegan friendly food and service!

Excellent, particularly if you like a good plate of spicy curry.

If you have never had East African food this is a must-have experience. The injera bread is fantastic and the toppings were very flavorful and perfectly prepared. Service is very friendly - clearly a family establishment. Portland is full of good food, but this place is truly a unique culinary experience.

If you like family style eating, this is the place to come and have that sensual eating-food-with-your-hands experience. The food was delicious. The ambiance and staff were very nice. Definitely coming back. Thank you Asmara staff!

Loved the shiro! Good prices and friendly staff.

Simply amazing! Get the vegetarian sampler because trying just one thing is not enough. Call ahead but it’s super worth the wait

One of Portland's best. Huge portions and great quality.

Delicious!! Was looking forward to trying something new and I was not disappointed. I was glad to find plentiful vegan options. The portions are huge, so be prepared!

Service was very friendly and the food was terrific. Amazing flavor. The spices all compliment each other so nicely. First time having Eritrean food and I was so impressed. Glad I gave this a try and I would definitely go again.

Phenomenal comfort food. So fresh. Great vegetarian options. You’ll be treated like family here. Huge portions. Very underrated restaurant - one of the best in the town.

Got a to-go order here on a cold, windy evening. Nice selection of chicken, beef, lamb and vegetarian stews with mild and spicy options. Good sized portions for average prices. Friendly, family-run place. Great find in Portland for something different.

Great food, not microwaved! If Alex Vest approves, I approve

Incredible comfort food. I ordered the shiro and my partner got a lamb dish, for takeout - both were astounding, but I have to say the shiro was a big winner. The cinnamon sweet tea was lovely too. Just the right amount of warmth.

If you enjoy spicy and flavorful food, this restaurant is for you.

One of our favorite places for dinner in Portland, highly recommended for authentic Eritrean cuisine.

I was thrilled to see your table at the Veg Fest in Portland. That food was simply amazing. Mouth watering. So fresh, fantastic flavors, just lovely.

Great Ethiopian food with friendly service. Highly recommend when in Portland. Gotta try the honey wine.

Great experience. More than a dish, it was a taste of Eritrean culture and hospitality. We left, stomachs full, wanting more.

Unique and delicious food. A great addition to Portland's variety. I will definitely be back. The staff was extremely helpful and nice. Coffee really good and is served traditionally.

Absolutely delicious!! You must try this place out!

Delicious food! Very homey and friendly service.

I stumbled upon this gem on my way to work one sunny day. I have never experienced cuisine like this. It was amazing. The owner was so mind and friendly, also the one who served me and created my meal. I had a traditional style, vegetarian dish called Shiro. It was chickpeas and red pepper flavored with garlic and spices, set over injera, which a moist, spongey, slightly sour bread, with salad. It was wonderful, they need more people to discover them!

Great everything, the food(homemade), injera bread is better than routi, and the veggie appetizer was amazing

Such amazing Eritrean food. The family is so nice and make sure everything is perfect for their guests!

The food is amazing. You've got to try this place! We had the vegetarian sampler😊

Delicious, authentic Eritrean/Ethiopian dishes. Family run, friendly and comfortable.

My cousin found this hidden gem when I forwarded her an article about there not being any soul food restaurants in Maine. We asked for platter of a little bit of everything since this was our first introduction to Eritrean food. We were not disappointed. Presentation was excellent. Food was flavorful. Everyone enjoyed their meal. Service was good. I want to try the spicier dishes next time I am in the area.

Wonderful food in a small family-owned authentic Eritrean restaurant. Come hungry!

Stopped by Asmara for dinner with a coworker as were seeking something more ethnic for cuisine. Inside is kept tidy and neat, full of ethnic paintings, statues, and plants. We got seated and water was served shortly after. I ordered a Beef Sambusa for an appetizer, arrived with my main meal and not before. It was crisply fried to the point where the dough was burnt. Meat stuffing for the sambusa was flavorful but did not make up for the burnt crust. For my main course I ordered the Lamb Tibsi Over Injera with red lentil stew. While we awaited each of our main courses all i could hear from the kitchen is microwave doors being opened, closed and then the repetitive beeps of the microwave timers going off. My thoughts were they were heating up the main courses. So the main course arrives and the food is warm but the Injera is cold like it came out of the fridge. The quality of the lamb and lentil stew was overall great. Went to pay the check and they did not accept American Express, had to pay with another Credit Card. The bathrooms are downstairs in the basement and the steps are very close together so it's not the best experience up and down the stairs .

Awesome food, great prices, and friendly folks! An easily overlooked gem in Portland's crowded food scene, Asmara should not be missed. The restaurant is small and comfortable with images and artifacts of Africa along the walls - but once the food hits the table you'll want to focus on it instead. The injera bread is a great vessel and utensil for the authentic flavors of Eritrea. Go with friends and have the meal plated together, everyone can try more that way!

I like that they are open late and great service

This is a family run Eritrean restaurant, with friendly service and great food. We especially like that they have terrific vegetarian and gluten-free offerings, but all their food is great. Our favorites are the red lentils and the alitcha on injera (Eritrean flatbread - made of all teff, no wheat), but we also love the chicken dishes. The owners aren't super slick or savvy - but they have heart and magnificent food.

The food is phenomenal if you don't mind the wait. I promise it's worth it!

Amazing and authentic East African food.

Delicious and a fun authentic cultural experience in both what you eat and how. Enjoyed the yeasty honey wine. Note, when they say spicy, they mean it.

The food here is amazing. My girlfriend and I try to come here anytime we are in the Portland area

Delicious and exotic food, served in the traditional manner (which means no utensils- much to the dismay of a man in a business suit when I went there!).

Authentic Eritrean food in a homey setting. The injera is perfection.

If you are looking for a new, different eating experience come to Asmara. Dig in with your hands and eat some amazing new food!

Great food, nice people. My favorite restaurant in Portland!

Interesting option in the Portland area, but overpriced for what you get. Maybe there would be an extra star if I was dining with more people and could try more options (it felt like a sharing-esque menu), but the modest bread and meat choice for close to $20 was priced higher than it should have been.

Delicious food, friendly service, good times.

The service was personal and extremely hospitable. The food was amazing and I can guarantee you there is no better ethnic food in Maine better than what Amara has to offer. The serving sizes were incredible. This is the first time I've had injera and not been able to finish my meal for being so full.

we were waiting for a seat at another restaurant and were walking in the area and saw this restaurant. We changed our plans and came here. Excellent choice for vegetarians, we had the total vegetable order with injera, as well as Dora Wat. I would have ordered spicy options but my friends are less inclined to spices. Plentiful and tasty. Staff were pleasant. A casual place.

Flavorful and well spiced dishes served on traditional flat, spongy bread. The 5 people in my party shared 3 meals and had plenty! All entrées come with salad and a delicious side. The lemonade and honey wine were fabulous.

As you may notice from many of my past reviews, we eat at Ethiopian restaurants all around the country (and Canada). Food was just okay. We ordered the Vegetarian Sampler. Injera wasn't very sour and the food seemed microwaved. For the prices we paid @ over $60 for the two of us, I wished the food was better.

It was the first time I tried Ethiopian food and I really can't wait to go back for more excellent ownership excellent staff and excellent food a definite must try when in the city or even if you're living in the city

Fun food experience. Excellent.

There is an abundance of excellent food in Portland but we wanted something low key and delicious and this fit the bill. We've had a good amount of food from Ethiopia and Eritrea before and this was delicious. We also enjoyed the meis (honey beer) which you don't often see. If you want a low key atmosphere with friendly service that won't hurt your pocketbook, highly recommend this restaurant.

First ethiopian fare. Very good. Friendly. Appetizer showed up after the meal though. pricey

The food was interesting, I've never had it before. It's served on a giant flat, spongy, circle of bread, more like a thick crepe really. You way with your hands. It's fun and communal. The staff was super nice. It's good and a fun thing to try.

Great first experience! Delicious food; shared the mild (I'm kind of a wuss) lamb stew and and appetizer with a friend. With an extra injera and some red lentils, it was just enough. Will absolutely return.

The form didn’t give the option to give 4.5, but we had the vegetarian sampler and loved the food, the service was friendly, and the atmosphere was comfortable and local.

Absolutely fantastic. Perfectly sized servings.