Mesob - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Mesob is my favorite restaurant in a town full of great restaurants. I’ve been going since they opened and it’s amazing every time. Truly such excellent food. And don’t leave the leftovers! All mixed up the next day for lunch is the best.

Excellent food and unique experience!

Fantastic restaurant and perhaps the best Ethiopian in NJ

Love this place. So many delicious vegan and vegetarian options, and the restaurant itself is a whole feast for the senses. Beautiful decorations, attentive service, and the small touches (like for instance vegan chocolates, on occasion) were incredible. The teas are great too. The perfect place to bring friends/family from out of town who are looking for a memorable experience.

The host and restaurant staff were welcoming and the restaurant has a lovely ambience. We dined here with a group of friends to celebrate a birthday. The menu has a variety of options to accommodate vegan, vegetarian and gluten free choices. I particularly liked the art work and the overall Ambience of the restaurant.

Don’t waste your time here. Must be the worst Ethiopian food I ever had! Not only is it not good, it’s barely authentic and overpriced. Run, don’t walk away from here. Go somewhere else.

Great taste and loved my first experience with Ethiopian cuisine. Had not realized how close this was to Indian cuisine and the staff were amazing.

This is a fantastic restaurant that has been serving flavorful dishes for more than 20 years. The spices are an amazing mixture of Indian and African. The meals are appealingly presented on injera (a type of spongy Ethiopian crepe from the ancient teff grain). Ethiopian is one of the world's great cuisines and it has a rich, ancient heritage.

Never tried Ethiopian food before, and it was delicious and gluten-free,just great! Service was really good too!

After trying Ethiopian food in a different state, I wanted to find a spot here in NJ and so glad I stumbled upon Mesob. We ordered the meat sampler for 2 and everything was delicious! I especially loved the minchet abish kay wet, satisfied my spiciness level. Can’t wait to come back again!

We were very happy that we chose Mesob. We were looking for something different and this was our first time here. The staff was very attentive and anticipated our needs. We picked the Mesob sampler and let our waiter make the best selections for us. It was great, and there was plenty to take home for the next day.

One of my all time favorite restaurants! From the warm and inviting atmosphere to the wonderful staff and owners to the amazing vegetarian options! I love this place! Highly recommend! My family enjoys ordering the veggie sampler and the chocolates as a light dessert! Love the hibiscus tea too!

The sauces that accompanied the dishes were terrible and tasted undone and/or commercial-esque - as though they were missing key ingredients. Doro Wot Alicha almost reminded me of sweet and sour chicken at a Chinese restaurant with hints of ginger and turmeric.. I don’t know what .. but something was wrong. If you’re looking for genuine Ethiopian - very well seasoned, rich and not prepared in haste, I would strongly recommend taking a drive to Dashen in New Brunswick, NJ. Not to mention, the servers at Dashen are far more hospitable and genuinely kind. The server we had seemed a bit cold and nonchalant, and seemed to took joy in charging me for a second sauce.. (until she eventually removed from the bill) after seeing me nearly choke on how spicy it was. The problem was there was no solace or offer for a substitute after I mentioned that I did not like and could not finish (or barely start) the meal I ordered. They took the meal back and still charged me full price - $26. And this was not me experimenting - this was a standard meal I typically get when I order Ethiopian in other places. I would never go back and couldn’t figure out why others were there. I think they never had genuine Ethiopian or Dashen - in New Brunswick. In short, avoid this place. There’s so much better out there.

The service was great! However the taste of Ethiopia that I yearned for was not it! I have been here plenty of times the food has been great.Today the food flavor in my opinion has been watered down. Not sure what is going on,even the lentil Sambusa was a miss. Total disappointment 😞

Great atmosphere and beautiful artwork!

Excellent food and great service. Definitely worth a visit.

The music, ambiance, and service were absolutely on point, and I loved just being in the space. Plus, the food was clearly made fresh, with a lot of love and care. That said, having eaten amazing Ethiopian food in cities like Chicago and DC, I do wonder if the food here is intentionally a little “dumbed down” for suburban palates — I would’ve loved more intense richness and spice/heat in the stews to balance out the very sour injera.

Our go-to spot in Montclair, what delicious Ethiopian cuisine in a beautiful environment! Vegetarian/vegan friendly options galore, and always such a tasty delight!

The food was stellar. I had the meat sampler, and I’m more the happier for doing so. Each portion the Ethiopian bread was amazing. Be prepared to get your hands dirty and you belly full.

Amiable staff. Fabulous Ethiopian decor in a generously spacious dining area. I would return. I loved the chicken soup and my lentil dish.

Beautiful restaurant but the food was a bit underwhelming compared to other Ethiopian I've eaten

Mesob has excellent, flavorful food, a lovely atmosphere, and the staff is great to work with. They are also nut free and have always accommodated our nut and sesame allergies successfully. Great veg and non veg options. One of our all time favorite restaurants.

The food is absolutely amazing. Very authentic and healthy. Great place to go with a family or even a date.

We went to this place in 2017 and were yearning to eat the food again. Lots of vegetarian options. The waitress was nice. She looked at photos of the food in 2017 and we reordered it. Ha ha we got six items called veggie sampler. The food was amazing. The wait staff is pretty attentive. The portions were great and pricing very reasonable for what you get. My wife loved it.

Cool spot. I think reservations are a good idea. We got the kitfo and meat sampler plate. The kitfo was the best we had ever had. The yebeg alicha was also delicious. The rest of the meat dishes were a style I am not used to...they lacked the deep rich flavor I love in Ethiopian meat dishes. The veggies were quite good...less seasoned than I am used to but the collards were tender and the cabbage was sweet and nicely braised. Service was good and the atmosphere was lovely.

If you want something special to eat, Mesob is the right place for you. I ate Ethiopian food for the first time and was very pleasantly surprised. At first I was a little hesitant because you only eat with your hands here. We were greeted and served very friendly. The food came quickly and was really tasty. The ambience is a bit plain but that's not bad. Happy greetings from Germany again.

For a first time trial, it was technically yummy. I love the marination of the meat and veggies. They go well with the dough but the reason I didn't give 5 stars for food here was also the dough. When consuming continuously, the dough would leave you the afterward dryness and sourness in your mouth. This feeling was unpleasant. It was great for an experience, just can't have too much. The portions are suitable for sharing. BYOB is also a plus here

Mesob never disappoints, it offers top decor, friendly and super attentive staff on top of the flavorful and plentiful portions that warms both the belly and soul. You can tell that this is a labor of love.

Service and food quality at its best

Mesob is amazing! It never fails to impress.

Very attentive and friendly service. Food was delicious also. We got a meat sampler for two and we left stuffed!

Food is good, service is excellent. But I learned I'm not a fan of Ethiopian food, so it's tough to review. The mushroom app was tasty, if I try it again I'd go for a spicy entree. The restaurant has been there 20 years and there was a good crowd, so no hesitation recommending you try it. We had the long table down the center, which worked great for our group.

Always loved this restaurant. Food, service, and atmosphere are always on par.

It has been awhile since I’ve had Ethiopian food so it was a treat to finally visit Mesob for a birthday dinner. We arrived at 8pm and there was no hesitation from the staff to warmly welcome us in. Although it took some time for our order to be taken, the waitstaff was friendly and respectful. Since we warned in advance on the menu that our order would take about 20 minutes, we just relaxed and enjoyed the vibe in the restaurant. Though the entrance is small, there are plenty of tables inside and roomy. Well, the food was wonderful! I had the meat sampler that included veggie sides and my partner had a lamb dish. We decided to have both our orders on a huge platter for sharing. All of it was so flavorful and, frankly, it’s fun to scoop the food with the injera, which is like a sourdough pancake like (but not) flat bread. You really have to try it to understand what it’s like. The lamb dish was especially delicious as the meat was tender inside and crispy on the outside. Honestly, everything was so good and there is so much of it. We took leftovers home although not the injera that was underneath the veggies and meat, as it got soggy. Oh, they give a separate plate of injera for the scooping. Definitely was worth the visit!

The worst customer service that I have had received from the ladies on the phone... !! I was in New Jersey truck stop from Las Vegas I thought myself maybe i can get some ethiopian food but when I called the young girl whatever her name she was have bad attitude and hung up the phone Quick I know that if am white she may be have some respect. I can tell that from her voice she's a white wash mind white lover..!!!😀 I don't recommended this restaurant for any one truck driver or Ethiopian The worst customer service

I loved everything from the food to the service to everyone being so welcoming. I was greeted by two very nice people. I was recommended this restaurant by many friends and they were right this place was amazing.

It was our first time having Ethiopian food. I kinda liked it, will definitely try next time. We ordered Veggiee Sambussa and Meat Sampler. Both are good. Staff were polite and attentive. Ambience was good.

We had a delicious lunch for two this weekend and we’re not disappointed! The service was incredibly friendly and the food was phenomenal. Will definitely be back.

Love this place! The food is AMAZING! And the staff are so kind. If you’ve never been to Mesob, you are missing out.

Always a hit for me, never had a bad meal here. I will say it's a little pricey these days but it's worth it, especially the sampler meals for meat and veggies. I cannot stop eating their injera it's so addicting.

Service was amazing the food was delicious, being vegan wasn't a problem for me here either this being my first time trying Ethiopian cuisine it definitely won't be my last.

Delicious as always! Parking can be such a nightmare in Montclair but we got lucky and parked in the public parking lot around the corner from the restaurant. Dinner was absolutely delicious as I remembered it from a couple years ago and the service was decent.

I’ve been going to Mesob at least once a year for over a decade. The food is not what it used to be. I feel it’s lost its authentic Ethiopian flavor. Prices have increased but the quality has decreased significantly and I think it’s time to choose another place as my goto Ethiopian restaurant going forward.

The best Ethiopian restaurant in New Jersey. Great for vegetarians, portions are generous, and food is healthy. I love coming here!

Friendly service and delicious food!

Some of the best Ethiopian in NJ or NYC

First time having Ethiopian food and fell absolutely in love. First time eating an entire meal with only hands, no utensils. The waitress was very patient and took the time to explain the whole menu and pointed me in the right direction. I ended up getting the Vegetarian Sampler. Before eating, they gave me a hot towel to wipe my hands clean. All in all, everyone should try this place. Amazing vegetarian options !!

I went out last night looking for a restaurant in Montclair and was looking at the menu at Mesob when a very nice couple was walking in and I asked them if they had been here before they said the food was delicious so with that recommendation I decided to give it a try I was taking my daughter out thought it would be nice and different .to tell you the truth, the food was fresh but terribly tasteless. All of it. We ordered the lentils, the yellow peas, the beans and carrots and the lamb. The lamb was horrible and the only reason I ate it was because I was hungry. It was hard and tasteless. I know it’s not easy to make vegan food taste good , but there are herbs that you can use without making it very spicy and this was just not a place I would ever think to go back to .the food was not good at all and that bread they call Injera was awful. It was like eating a sponge and I hate to leave a review like this but I was just really taken back by spending $100 on food that I would not recommend ever. I also own a restaurant, so I hope the owner reads this review and tastes his own food because it’s awful!

While I am not an expert on Ethiopian food, it’s just wonderful at Mesob. This BYOB restaurant is extremely clean, bright, inviting, and the staff very helpful. Our group of 4 did a selection of apps and a meat sampler menu. We enjoyed them all plus a great selection of vegetables.

The food is very tasty and prices are great. The atmosphere is very cozy and the staff is very friendly.

not a great ethiopian restaurant at all. the food was not flavorful or spicy enough and even the warm dishes came out a bit cold. way too expensive for ethiopian food. wish it would have been as good as places in Europe i have been.

Very bland, almost tasteless. Went in expecting a plethora of flavors - got none. Have never had such a bad Ethiopian ever.

Food was great, restaurant was clean and aesthetically pleasing, and service was mostly great. We had superb service from the younger gentleman, but there was a younger woman there (short hair, wears a mask) that was so… off-putting. She brought waters and hot towels to the table. I made eye contact with her and smiled when she brought the water, and told her thank you. She didn’t reply at all. Lacking in service, a one off thing, I thought.. no big deal. Then when she brought the hot towels, it was the most uncomfortable thing i’ve ever witnessed in a restaurant. She quite literally just plopped the plate of hot towels on our table (with a loud crash) and spun on her heel, not even giving us the chance to thank her. She ruined the entire experience to be honest and I was dreading her bringing anything back to our table. It was so uncomfortable. To the owners of this establishment - this individual does *not* belong in a front of house position, and should instead stay back of house. She shouldn’t be allowed to interact with any customers because she is the antithesis of warm/welcoming/friendly. She’s relatively younger, charges her phone and sits at the table before the restrooms - every other employee I interacted with was great, but not her. Needs etiquette classes and basic manners before interacting with patrons. We were nothing but kind and gracious with her and she made us feel so awkward.

It was our first time visiting tonight and we had an amazing meal! We ordered the platters to try different dishes and no regrets, everything tasted amazing. Definitely coming back again!

The injera bread with the curries was super sour. This was my second time here. I had been here long back and injera was yummy back then. They have changed the recipe since, it was super sour and felt non edible to me. The curries and veggies were good, tasted like homemade food but not something I would go back for.

I went here for the first time, I liked how the place has a lot of variety for vegetarians and the foods nice not bad. But for me the food was a bit extra sour and not that spicy.

Can’t imagine a restaurant who would do better than this one for Ethiopian food. Their vegetarian dishes were very delicious!

We got the assortment of meats for 4 and it was tasty but there was a ton of bread and felt the portions were a bit small for the price.

This place was nice and when they messed up our food they immediately changed it and let us get 1 the free then we insisted that we pay but they said it was on the house.

We tried the meat sampler for 2, which was delicious and could have easily fed another person. The beautiful decor and the helpful staff made the experience even better. Hope to visit again soon

Great high end Ethiopian. They know what they’re doing and the food is delicious. The place looks like a beautiful museum with exceptional art all around. The waiter was super helpful and the service was fantastic!! Will definitely be returning! Five stars!

Great food, but the lighting was really low. Great customer service.

The food was yummy and plentiful. The place had a nice ambiance. And our server was very accommodating.

Seems like a very nice Ethiopian restaurant. This was my first time trying Ethiopian food and according to my friend, it was pretty authentic. Everything tasted very interesting, and I had a fun time. I do want to note that anyone with GI or get gas easily from eating any legumes be careful though cause even though the food is fresh, there are many things that have legumes in them. I guess this might be on the pricier side though cause we saw people on fancy dates here, and you cannot fill yourself without spending $20+. Not gonna lie, the food portions looked small from the images and when you get it, but when you actually start eating it's quite a lot (at least for me). Any dish with meat is more expensive though so if you're going for one of those samplers expect to spend ~$30 before tip. The servers were very kind, attentive, and accommodating. They are conscious with seating placements and great at their work.

Food is good but they messed up our order multiple times. Service could be better.

Overpriced average food. I wonder why it has got such excellent rating because that's what drove us to this place. The portion size was too small for all dishes and especially for the dessert- $9.45 for 2 below average tiny pieces of baklava and more importantly there was no mention of the number of pieces on the menu. And the Ethiopian coffee they claim to be authentic was just a regular American over roasted coffee. Seriously ridiculous.

First time having Ethiopian food & it did not disappoint. This place is BYOB with a liquor store right down the road. I recommend the sampler to try a little bit of everything, but definitely a place to try out to expand your culinary palette. Plenty vegetarian options too!

This is the best Ethiopian restaurant. The customer service is the best; they were all wonderful. The food is authentic,especially the dor wot, it is to die for. The Enjera tastes like real Enjera unlike the ones in other places. If you are going to taste Ethiopian cuisine for the first time, or if you love Ethiopian food, go nowhere but here. It deserves a full 5 star.

Great Ethiopian food. Nice atmosphere and the servers are nice.

Mesbo, once again, did not disappoint. Delicious!

Family wanted to try something new, so we came to Mesob. good food and good service

I had the vegetarian sampler meal many times. Could be my favorite food ever

Had a great experience for the first time trying Ethiopian food, BYOB

Very good service,great experience

Polite staff. Injera was tasty. Chose 6 vegetarian options for 3 people. The image above shows the platter we shared. The food was good but have had better Ethiopian food here pre-pandemic. Wasn't impressed this time around.

The food was amazing! I would definitely order less in the future because the injera bread that came with our meal was incredibly filling. Our server was polite and helpful. It would be nice if some things were explained or mentioned in regards to etiquette eating Ethiopian food. I found myself asking many questions and it seemed like it was assumed we'd know the meal is typically eaten with your hands. One of the workers was constantly staring at my table i dont get why but it was definitely a dirty look. Overall good experience. I'm not sure if I enjoyed enough to go back but it's a place worth trying.

First time here. Place was awesome. Service was great. Ethiopian coffee was out of this world. Will return.

I used to live with many Ethiopians and I can attest that this place has Delicious authentic Ethiopian food! The restaurant has such beautiful atmosphere and ambiance. The owners are SUPER friendly and make you feel like you are having a comforting family style dinning experience. They treated my husband and I so kindly even being EXTREMELY busy on a Friday night. My husband is super picky and was so taken away by the food and experience. I HIGHLY recommend Mesob to anyone looking for an authentic and comforting dining experience. I recommend the sampler so you can discover a favorite while trying multiple delicious dishes if you’ve never had Ethiopian food. I can eat so much and still feel so light. Many vegetarian and vegan options. Again cannot recommend enough.

I thought this place was really good for something different. The Ethiopian decor was also a huge plus. I loved the vibe of the whole restaurant and the staff was really helpful in telling us what to pick to eat since we were not as familiar. I really liked the cheese and collard greens. But honestly I’m sure you can’t go wrong with what you choose.

Great food and service as always. Haven't been to the place since before covid nice to back. Can't wait to go back.

My wife and I love coming here to eat. The food is great and the servers are friendly.

Best Ethiopian food. we have been coming here for almost 10 years and staff has been very welcoming.

Excellent experience! We didn't have a reservation and walked-in early Saturday evening. The host was very friendly and accommodated in the communal table. The ambiance is really nice and the recommendations of the server were just perfect. We loved the presentation of the dishes and flavors were just superb! It is BYOB

Came on valentines day. Prix fixed menu was great. Will be back... Food is delicious

Came here for a date night with my husband and 10/10 would recommend. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. The restaurant is decorated beautifully. Our server, I don’t recall his name, but he was lovely! He made great recommendations (one of which was the chickpea biscuits - DELICIOUS). We ordered the Taste of Mesob, which allowed us to sample a little bit of everything. This is a great option for your first visit because you get to try a little of everything. More than enough food and even tastier the next day when reheated in the oven! Will definitely be back again :)

Food is absolutely incredible. Service is 10/10. Very glad to have tried this place and will be coming back for sure.

The food, the coffee -Just amazing. I came with my husband to celebrate my birthday. The entire experience and everyone was friendly and welcoming. I cannot wait to come back.

A definitive hidden gem in NJ! Delicious, fresh food, and excellent service!

My go to restaurant whenever I’m in Montclair. The food here is amazing! The staff is so patient. You get large portions of food. I would recommend this place to everyone.

Excellent food and service. Our favorite restaurant in Montclair!

Fast friendly and delicious. Best Hebasha restaurant in the area.

I’ve been here a number of times and have never been disappointed. The staff is always so nice and the food it always so delicious. Definitely recommend stopping in if you are in the mood for a hearty meal.

Delicious food! We absolutely love this place.

Fun experience. Came here with my husband to try a new cuisine and enjoyed our interactive lunch. The environment was clean and decorated in the restaurants Ethiopian theme. Staff was helpful in helping us decide on what to try. Everything came out correct and at a good speed. I do wish they explained what everything on our plate was just to help take the guess work out. Also, we had to Google how to properly eat with the bread. Overall had a great experience and would come back to try more

Delicious food. Just a great experience overall.

Wow!! Great food. Amazing service. Just so delicious!! Definitely, try it!!;

First time trying Ethiopian fare. Their items are really, really tasty. Try their taste of mesob for some of everything their menu has to offer and try the drinks, they're perfect for the winter weather. Place is a must go at least once.

We love this place! We made a reservation for a Sunday evening, table for 3 at 6:30. We scored a window table, which is ideal, and enjoyed the wonderful aroma while we waited for our meal. We ordered the meat sampler for two, which included 4 meats and 4 vegetable sides, a very generous amount of food. Simply delicious. The cherry on top, the lovely staff who were unbelievably attentive and happy. We’ll remember the food, we’ll return for the service. Thank you for the experience!

This was our second time at Mesob. We got vegetable sampler again and it was simply delicious.

Amazing food, atmosphere, and service. Always a pleasure and can’t wait to go back!