Red Sea Restaurant in Portland - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

The food was good but the service very poor. The owner was rude, the food for 4 ppl took 1 h to be served even though we arrived at the opening at noon and were first to be seated. Our coffee never arrived. My dish arrived without the egg that was listed on the menu. When I pointed it out to the owner, he asked for an extra payment for the egg and when I showed him the menu did not apologize. A poor experience overall.

We were passing by on our way back from our road trip north and stopped here for a quick bite. I only wish we had discovered this place earlier! Home-quality delicious food; I would eat here again and again if I lived in Portland.

I loved this place. The family that owns and runs it is friendly and welcoming. The restraunt is small and a little beat up looking, but clean. The food was outstanding. This was my 1st time eating East African cuisine but I am hooked. I had beef something it's a stew with red lentils and a salad. It all comes on a big teff tortilla like thing. It was so tasty. A little spicy very flavorful. Seriously, don't get turned off by the look of the place. It's a must try in my book.

Delicious Eritrean foods served by friendly welcoming host. The spiced tea and well seasoned dishes are satisfying and delicious 😋

Wow so tasty! Really good food! Will be my first stop back when back in town!

I've eaten here a couple times. I'm never left. Disappointed or hungry. The food is amazing and the portions are great. The people that are running the place are also very nice and lovely hosts of their restaurant. Parking can be a challenge in this area. We found public parking across the street and down the road a bit. If it's not too cold out this is perfectly fine.

The drumsticks are so good I could die and come back to life. The spice here is so flavorful and so good that it cured all illnesses in my body, some of which were lifelong. If you are in the area you NEED to eat here!

Stingy with the meat, expect to get full on injera. Decent flavors.

The food is the best East African in Portland, very flavourful. Owners are very nice! It's great to have this type of variety in Portland. A great hidden gem. Atmosphere is more fast-casual, diner style.

Everyone was nice and the food was good

We enjoyed our trip to the Red Sea Restaurant! The owner couldn’t have been more welcoming as he continuously checked in and chatted with us. If you’ve never tried Ethiopian or Eritrean food, this could be a great first experience. :)

From the get-go, the staff was so kind and the food was unbelievable! We ordered the veggie sampler and the fül fava beans, which were so warm and comforting (especially on such a cold, rainy day). We live about an hour and a half from Portland but could definitely see ourselves driving back just for this restaurant!

The ingera were great, the other food (I had) was okay, service could be friendlier (but thanks for the Wi-Fi password)

Ethiopian is probably my favorite kind of food, so I try it wherever I go. I like to support Ethiopian restaurants, and I'm reluctant to write negative reviews. But this was probably the most disappointing experience I've had at an Ethiopian restaurant. On the plus size, the food was... decent. The injera was fine, a bit on the dry side. The lamb was pretty good. The rest of the dishes (we had the meat sampler) were not great -- a binary between bland and bluntly spicy (and I love spicy). I notice that the other reviewers seem to disagree. We might just have different tastes, but it's also possible that they haven't tried that many other Ethiopian restaurants. The rest of the dining experience was very poor. The atmosphere is nonexistent. The menu is not at all clear -- one of the more confusing menus I've ever encountered -- the service was slow, and the waiter / owner was kind of rude. All of these things could be improved easily, and I hope they are. I should note that this place has a hole-in-the-wall vibe, but the prices are not hole-in-the-wall cheap.

We enjoyed our meals so much. I had the Zigni (with beef), and my sis had Eritrean style shrimp, along with injeera. Both were so tasty! We also very much enjoyed the traditional coffee with ginger. Delicious. Our server was helpful and friendly and patiently described menu items for us.

Quite good Ethiopian+Ethiopian cuisine. Clean and friendly staff. Owner Yemane is so sweet and accommodating. Highly recommend!

See you soon Red 😋😋😋 coming from California 💃🏼

Really great food!! Loved the veggie sampler

Incredible food! The staff was so friendly and helped with recommendations. Everything tasted amazing. I will definitely be back!

Great food, owner is an amazing man who took time to explain the menu and made sure spicing was to our liking...also beer and wine available.

i was not happy with the way the owner is acting up and talking to customers he doesn’t have respect for customers

Had a great lunch! We had the Zigni (first time) and it was rich and flavorful. Owners are very nice. I'm new to Ethiopian food so this was a really fun experience. We'll be going back.

I've traveled the world and this place is amazing and the couple that runs it are the sweetest, nicest people you could ever want to meet letting you try everything if you never had it and not charging you, it was like going to eat at their house if you know good food, you will love this place !! They even sold me bags of their own imported spices !!!!

Disappointing. Service was terrible. Food wasn't anything to write home about. Atmosphere didn't exist.

Great food at a fair price. Could use a little sprucing up and neatening. Pleasant people and good service.

Food was good but service was crazy slow.

Although it took a while to get our meal, it was tasty, hot, freshly prepared and authentic! We recommend the tibs and chicken. The coffee was quite the experience: roasted smoky and hot, ground and served with ginger. Delicious! The injera (bread) was especially good.

Thought this was going to be spicy wonderful food. Ordered the Alicha, it was just as it said, simmered cabbage, carrots and potatoes, but no spice at all, it was awful, brought home and I'll try to fix. They do not cater to special needs, didn't even want to serve me rice with the Alicha instead of the injera as Asmara offers you to choose, but he did in the end. Not attentive service. No tap water offered, just bottled.

Absolutely delicious! Do not overlook this gem. The couple that runs the place are kind and make you feel at home.

Genuine and sensitive atmosphere with fantastic authentic food. 10/10

Amazing food, bursting with flavor. The place was full of smiling faces and accommodating service. The food was so so good. Definitely a fun, delicious experience.

Absolutely delicious food! Our family enjoyed this meal, including our 5 and 7 year old girls who kept commenting on how delicious it was. The portions were excellent and the service was very friendly. It's well worth the drive from Augusta and we look forward to coming back for more!

Was drawn in the great ratings but this is probably the worst Ethiopian food I’ve ever had. Under salted (everything) and super bland. Usually the red and yellow lentils are super flavorful but for some reason here all of us struggled with how bland the food was. I would stay away if you’re vegetarian. Now I see other reviews of how bland the veggie orders are. Also double check your orders, they made mistakes and refused to correct them. We all left feeling hungry and dissatisfied.

Food was amazing and the service was some of the best..

Delicious like always! Vegan and vegetarian options.

Always consistently delicious! The injera is unique and uses quality teff flour! Hamli, sambusas, and meat sampler = amazing. (This review was long overdue. Hope everyone is healthy and safe. Looking forward to dining with you, again)

Veggie sampler is bland and for the price it was unsatisfactory. Maybe other options are more flavorful than the veggie platter. Also the prices online are not the same as in the restaurant.I encourage the owners to update the price so customers are not surprised by the increase.

First experience with Ethiopian food and it was amazing. I cant reccomend this place enough. Just amazing.

Great food and owners are awesome! The whole family enjoyed!

WONDERFUL CUISINE. HUSBAND AND WIFE ARE very helpful for first timers AND so friendly!

Delicious traditional food prepared by very kind people with big smiles.

Very authentic food. The chicken dumpstick and the okra are my favorite. The black tea with spice is very special.

This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Portland! Great vegan options too. We tried the veggie platter and it was delicious!

The spicy chicken was delicious. The service was very friendly.

Very good food-big enough portions.The owner is very friendly too.

Great hospitality and amazing dishes. The food is out of this world good.

My husband and I shared a platter of spiced lentils, salad, and lamb curry, eaten with injera. Really good! The owner offered good recommendations and helped us decide what sides to pair with the main. Good service, what a find!

Really good food. This place has so much soul. In a city where every dining experience has become about the design of the menu, the shape of the table and the lettering on the walls, The Red Sea is a breath of fresh air. Inside is no frills. It's a scrappy eatery that could use some updates, the menu was a simple printed inkjet page. But who cares when the smells from the kitchen are so intoxicating. We ordered tea and split an entree, the lamb was mouth watering. After our meal I was overcome with an immense feeling of joy, I sat with a huge smile for a few minutes. So much that my partner took my photo to commemorate the expression. The Red Sea is a really special neighborhood spot. If you live in the area or are visiting from out of town do yourself a favor and taste the flavor. This is a local gem and you should be proud of it. It is also highly affordable, particularly when compared to other local offerings.

Spent the last 3 weeks in Portland trying as many restaurants as possible, and Red Sea is still one of my favorites, if not the favorite - high quality and delicious food that beats my favorite spot in DC (Cher Cher, which I love), and the best value for your dollar in Portand by far. I'm not exaggerating when I say I will never forget this place. If you are new to this cuisine or looking to show a friend, there is no better place to try it - you will not regret it. Everything on the veggie sampler is great, the tibs are my favorite entree, and the Shiro is a must-order side. My girlfriend and I ate here twice now for about $20 total, including beer and bottled water, and we leave satisfied. Even with all the options to eat in Portland, we are planning to return at least two more times before we leave.

Delicious vegetarian platter - all the dishes had different textures and spice levels. The injera was sour and amazing! The owners were very kind and discussed Eritrean history with us. Will definitely be back.

It was pure serendipity that brought us here. It was not only our first time trying this cuisine, but we didn't know this place existed. As such we had no preconceptions and we were extremely pleased. The people are friendly, the food tasty and well presented. But the coffee? If nothing else, it's reason enough to return.

Solidly good food served by an eritrean family that's proud of their heritage and puts love and hard work into their fantastic food. Unassuming atmosphere and easily missed if you drive by it but worth the visit.

My favor restaurant in portland, Delicious food and very nice and friendly staffs.

excellent food, very pleasant staff.

One of my absolute favorite restaurants in Portland. The sampler platters are great to share with a group for those who have a hard time choosing just one menu item! Good variety for veggie and non-veggie options. The owners are very friendly and service is always quick and smooth. Nice laid back atmosphere.

The food was delicious and the owners were very friendly!

I enjoyed my meal at Red Sea and would recommend it to anyone visiting the area! I visited back in the winter with a larger group. We were shown great hospitality and were served quickly. The menu was perfect for our mix of eaters. I've had Ethiopian food in Boston, DC, and Michigan and this was my favorite!

Delicious food. Fun atmosphere. Extremely friendly owners. I recommend Red Sea to all of my friends!

We had the meat variety platter and it was delish.

We were out celebrating my birthday and I wanted to try something I’ve never eaten before. We found this little place on google maps and decided to give it a try. SO glad we did!! We weren’t sure what to order so we chose the sampler plate - the beef dish was so spicy it made me cry and my nose run - it was THAT good!! The hot spiced tea was the perfect thing to douse the fire. The owner is very friendly and helpful. We only waited a few minutes for our dinner even though some reviews stated otherwise. All in all, this is a keeper!!

Red Sea makes the best Ethiopian/Eritrean food in New England. The tibs are delicious and the entire veggie sampler is worth having. I have introduced multiple people to the unique Ethiopian cuisine via the Red Sea, and while some older family members didn't fully lean into "injera is a utensil" method of eating Ethiopian, everyone liked the food and no one went hungry. When I moved to Boston, every single Ethiopian restaurant disappointed in comparison. This place is the real deal. Pro tip: order a side of shiro, it is the best thing on the menu!

Paramos aquí para almorzar. La comida que tuvimos fue excelente (shiro, tibs, misir) y muy buena relación calidad-precio. Mi esposo es etíope, por lo que tiene altos estándares, ¡pero estaba satisfecho! Los propietarios son extremadamente amables y tuvimos un gran servicio. ¡Recomendaría!

This is an absolutely must go. The food and service were wonderful. The host, I assume, was the owner, and he was a delightful person. I can't imagine that one would dislike any of the dishes. Do yourself the favor of going, bring friends with ya.

The food was delicious and the staff was very sweet and accommodating. Definitely the most authentic Ethiopian food in Portland. Great veggie options too.

I hate to take a star off for cleanliness and ambiance when the food was as authentic and delicious as it was.

I use to go there but yesterday was the worst day for us.don’t know why the owner differentiates white and somaali pple to a point you can easily tell.is only him bt his wife is good inperson.Am done no more going to that place for me personally I guess.

The food is fresh and delicious. The staff is very friendly. Because everything is made to order you have to remember to give them time. I can usually get in during a lunch break, but when I plan poorly it gets close. I suggest planning on stopping here when you have extra time and can enjoy the food.

I am vegan and they have amazing vegan options! Specifically the “ful” is spiced perfectly and very filling. Also don’t forget to complete the meal with a pot of traditional coffee roasted freshly for each order!

Fresh food than other Ethiopia's restaurant I have been in USA

Amazing amazing amazing food!!! The owners are great their food is just amazing!!!!

I got a good dinner, fast, for under $20. I'm definitely a satisfied customer.

El Mar Rojo es un oasis de sabores y comida interesante en el vasto páramo de la comida insípida de Maine. ¡Casi lloré cuando di mi primer bocado de sambusa (samosa)! ¡No he tenido una samosa tan buena desde que viví en África! La injera es genial y los entrantes son picantes y sabrosos. Si está recibiendo más de un plato principal, consígalo al estilo familiar y obtendrá más injera en el costado y es más fácil de comer. Son super agradables. Es mi nueva visita al lugar cuando estoy en Portland.

Excellent food. Be sure to plan to be there a while, as everything is cooked to order. And definitely try the coffee!

AMAZING food! The samosas are so good, I can't stop thinking about them. I had a beef dish and my wife had a lamb dish, and it came served with AND on a flatbread that was very good, though unlike any flatbread I've had before. It's almost spongy and airy--very light and was great to put the meat in and eat with your hands--which is the Eritrean custom (or so it seems). We ordered the food with a "moderate" spice level, and it was still spicy enough to keep me drinking water (which is a good thing--I miss spicy food since moving to Maine!) This is my new favorite restaurant in Maine.

Super authentic eritrean cuisine. Family owned establishment. Very kind husband-wife-daughter staff.

Good food, but i wish they had more variety in each entree. Most entrees are one item, a small side, and a small salad. Plus injera. The prices are good. Service was ok.

When my friend and I first walked into Red Sea, I wasn't sure what to think. The restaurant is small, and the decor makes it look more like a run-down corner pizza place than a serious ethnic restaurant. Nonetheless, I was excited to have more ethnic food options in Portland, so I was determined to give it a shot. The waitress was very friendly (though we did have some communication issues), and another gentleman who I assumed to be the owner kept coming over to check on how our meal was. I have to tell you, that meal was fantastic! The food was absolutely delicious. I had the sambusa for an appetizer, and alicha and tumtumo for a meal. The alicha was amongst the best vegetable meals I have ever had. Whatever spices they used were absolutely perfect. My friend had lamb zigni and thoroughly enjoyed it as well. There was so much food that we were both stuffed by the end of the meal, and the prices were very reasonable. I am thrilled that we have a terrific new ethnic place to come eat in Portland, and I look forward to coming here again!

Excellent Eritrean food! Very kind staff, super spicy if you want! Feels very authentic.

Excellent hospitality and every dish is very good. Food is instantly prepared based on your choice and test. Keep up Red Sea

Until today, the best Ethiopian/Eritrean food I had eaten was prepared by a hospital cafeteria in the Cure hospital in Addis Ababa. In a way, that could make sense, but then again, it's a hospital cafeteria, and I could never understand why one of the popular restaurants I tried in places like D.C. or Philly couldn't do as well or better. Well now I can finally recommend an Ethiopian restaurant in the States! My wife and I just shared a vegetarian sampler platter from Red Sea in Portland Maine of all places (take out so we could put a baby to bed, no less), and this is all the texture, spice, and plain heat I've been missing! So many restaurants in the U.S. serve bland mush on soft, weak, and excessively tangy injera that I have some reservation about even trying new places anymore. Red Sea has reversed the trend and will keep me searching again when I leave town. If you're in Portland, do yourself a favor and try what I suspect may be the best Ethiopian food in a couple thousand miles.

I love Red Sea. The owners are incredible, the restaurant is vegetarian friendly, and the food is filling and delicious!

Great Ethiopian and Eritrean food

Delicious food and friendly staff, will return

Really good people and welcoming, they are the owners. Food is just so delicious and spicy as I like it.

Red Sea is a small mom & pop Eritrean restaurant in the East End of Portland. This is good. When I eat here, I feel like I've been invited to dinner at a neighbor's house. The menu is very short, but the offerings are tasty. I would like to see more opportunity to select the components of the meal. The falafel is the best I've ever eaten throughout North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Really. It is that good. The coffee is freshly roasted and I love the smell and the taste. The traditional coffee is with a strong dose of ginger. Definitely an acquired taste. This is one of my repeat restaurants.

Their samosas haunt me, the best I've ever had and all the others aren't even close.

This is a wonderful home-cooked Eritrean and Ethiopian prepared meal. Everything was really exceptional and rates as one of the best Eritrean restaurants that I have been to. You know it immediately by the smell when you walk in the door. The enjera was a wonderful consistency. Both spicy and non spicy dishes excelled. The area is up and coming in that little corner off Cumberland, and the Red Sea brings a high quality offering

Amazing restaurant. The food was good, very flavorful, the prices were good, and the service was amazing. I highly recommend going here.

The food was delicious, authentic Ethiopian dining experience, and good prices.

Nice, pleasant and welcoming staff. Delicious, authentic cuisine.

The owner is warm, friendly and helpful and the food simply divine. Will be back!

I highly recommend the red curry and spicy okra!

Extremely delicious!! Wonderful atmosphere, great service. Certainly a five star!

You know I finally came here after wanting to check-it-out for awhile. I'm glad I did. This is a small family-owned ethnic restaurant, among so many good ones in this foodie city. I knew exactly what I was getting into; that this would not be a sophisticated as much as authentic, experience. I was not disappointed. This is a simple restaurant with 5 or so inside tables. It is not adorned, it is not appointed in any way: rather dull but with bright yellow painted walls, no art, nothing fancy.... just solid Eritrean/Ethiopian food from the old country. As a Pescatarian there were many choices for me, though not actually fish if I am remembering correctly. This is ironic given the restaurant's name. Some of Red Sea's traditional dishes are meat-heavy, but there were also many vegetarian options. My friend and I had arrived for lunch on a weekday afternoon. We took a table along an inside wall, my back partially to the adjoining room, my friend sitting a bit farther away than was comfortable. A man, the owner, approached us offering water, menus and a warm greeting. We decided that a nice to way to learn more about this food was to try a sampler- and they offered one, the Veggie Sampler. It included simmered mustard greens (hamli), yellow split peas with onion and olive oil (tumtumo), brown lentil stew (tsebhi birsin), simmered potato, carrot and cabbage (alicha), and seasoned okra, all atop a large round spongy bread (teff) which is gluten-free, moist and satisfying. The spices used were unfamiliar to me, sort of. I have always enjoyed Indian food, and I think they must share some of the same spices. But I'm not sure. It was certainly a nice balance of flavors and heat. No utensils needed for this meal, but extra teff rolled-up is provided. It comes all plated together with fresh garden salad and dressing if you want it. I mostly used a fork, and the owner was fine about bringing one when I asked. My friend was more adventurous and scooped her food the way the natives do. Good for her. I liked Red Sea. Its good, inexpensive ethnic food from a part of the world we don't know much about. This is relaxed, family-stopping-by, desk/counter where Mrs. Red Sea sits. It has a functional but rudimentary bathroom. This is an unpretentious and unsophisticated restaurant if that's what you seek. I do sometimes. I think Red Sea would be smart to consider however, the competition in the area. Its located along the "new foodie row" in Portland. East Bayside is up and coming and they're smack dab in the center of it. I hope they keep their authenticity but allow for growth in the westernization of their business values in a market filled with strong competitors. Lunch came to $34- all inclusive. My friend liked it very much. I did, too. I took leftovers home. I would go back, especially if they up their game.

Owners very helpful. Food excellent and large portions

I got tired of endless trendy restaurants and was looking for something more simple without needing to go to a fast food or burger place. I stopped by here for takeout and was very happy with the result. (You can eat in, too, but it's a bit of a small place.) I went with chicken in a berbere sauce with a side of red lentils. The berbere sauce was delicious with the right amount of kick. Ditto for the lentils The meal came with salad and a decent amount of a very sourdough injera. If you're used to the white, refined injera you'll find in other restaurants, you will need to readjust your palate. For $13 I have enough food for another meal or two, a pleasant change, right? It's a damn shame more people aren't visiting here since the proprietor was pleasant and the food great. Skip downtown, walk up the hill, and grab something different.

Red Sea is without question the best new restaurant in Portland. I have never had food with such unique flavors. The Hamli and Zigni (veggie + beef) dishes are incredible. I literally came he 4 times in one week!

The owner is wonderful and the spicy lamb stew is amazing. You eat with your hands but if your not wanting to keep with the authenticity you may request silverware.