User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (5 ratings)
Abay Ethiopian Cuisine
- (412) 661-9736
- Menu
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| About: | Abay (sounds like "uh-by") serves authentic Ethiopian food in a festive but romantic setting. Cobalt-blue walls greet visitors in the foyer, with earth tones prevalent inside. Backless, hand-made stools surround a few mesobs -- traditional, basket-like tables -- at the front of the restaurant, with an abundance of regular tables and chairs available as well. Original Ethiopian art and artifacts decorate the walls. |
| Hours: | Monday Closed, Tuesday 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM, Wednesday 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM, Thursday 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM, Friday 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM, Saturday 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM, Sunday 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM |
| Categories: | Restaurants, Vegetarian Restaurants, Ethiopian Restaurants |
| Parking: | Street |
| Payment: | Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club |
| Specialities: | Creative weekly specials |
| Amenities: | BYOB |
| Products and Services: | Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine |
| Languages Spoken: | Amharic, Swahili, French |
| Year Established: | 2004 |
| Cuisine: | Ethiopian, Vegetarian |
| Ambiance: | Family Friendly, Fun, Romantic |
| Feature: | Healthy Options, Late Night, Take Out |
| Reservations Policy: | ReLargeParties |
| Smoking: | No Smoking |
| Dress Code: | Casual |
| Price: | $6.95 - $11.95 |
| Other Contact Info: | Fax: 412-661-8739 Email: jamie@abayrestaurant.com |
Recent Reviews
1-3 of 4 Write a review
User Rating: 5 out of 5 starsThe two other cities where I have had Ethiopian food are New York and San Francisco. I am glad that we in Pittsburgh also have an Ethiopian restaurant and I am even happier that it is within 2 miles of my primary residence in the Highland Park area. I was here for a date in January of 2007 and I would give it two thumbs up.
Food: great; sufficient portions; the platters make it easy to select a number of entrees. My friend and I ended up having a platter for two in which we could choose 4 different dishes and we ended up choosing two chicken preparations and two vegetarian preparations. All of them were very well prepared and none were excessively spicy.
Service: Good. Could have been better but the restaurant was also extremely busy that Sunday evening and I can understand why it was less than exceptional. The one thing which I missed (especially compared to my previous experiences of having Ethiopian food) is that in both those instances the food was served by people who looked Ethiopian enhancing to the atmosphere and ambiance. That was not the case with Abay.
Overall a great value for money. I would also suspect that consuming Ethiopian food is a great experiential thing which everyone should consider giving a shot.-
User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Really something special! The food is great and the service is super friendly. We love the common serving dish and injera bread. It's really fun and everyone can try everything.
If you don't like spice you can ask the server for help choosing. The ginger beer is perfect with the food (or you can bring your own beer/wine). It's a wonderful place for a group dinner, and it's a good location in East Liberty- very easy to find. 
User Rating: 5 out of 5 starsExcellent and affordable: Having eaten at Ethiopian restaurants in DC - which has the largest Ethiopian population outside of Africa - I was impressed that the owners of Abay were able to pull off a quality Ethiopian restaurant in Pittsburgh. The food is great - not as spicy as I remembered, I expect the recipes were toned down somewhat for local palates. But still a great variety of flavors and textures, lots of vegetarian options, and very unique for this area.
Definitely go the more traditional route and order your entree with injera - the spongy, somewhat sour Ethiopian flatbread - and forget the silverware. Communal eating is a huge part of the culture in Ethiopia and much of Africa - Abay offers platters for 2,3, or 4 people. Where else can you have this experience? Oh, and don't be scared away by the traditional low tables in the window - there are plenty of western-style table and chair sets too.
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Comments (1)
I disagree I am from Ethiopian and the food is bland and it is not the way we are use to eating it. It is way to American we eat spice lots of spice.