Ghion Cultural Hall

This is by far my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Atlanta and I’ve been to almost all of them (including Desta). I used to live in Los Angeles, which, has a little Ethiopia, so I got spoiled :) The veggie combo was perfectly spiced and portioned. The homemade honey wine was delicious and the service was great. If you’re looking for a western version of Ethiopian food and atmosphere, go to Desta, but if you want the real thing, check out Ghion Cultural Hall.

I enjoyed some of the food, but most of the items on the «special» were just bland and blended into everything else. I can’t even remember what most of them were. The lamb and the greens were the standouts though.
The waitress was great and very cheerful.

This place is the real deal. 100% authentic and 200% delicious. Try a glass of the homemade honeywine and get the Ethiopian coffee after dinner!

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant is a great place with extraordinary service. They were very courteous and friendly. Service was really fast. The lamb Tibs was tasty & flavorful. I had good tasting coffee too. I’ll definitely go back to this place when visiting Atlanta again.

The place may not be that fancy but the food was real tasty, real homely. Since you eat with your hands, it was also close to home ;) we took the much reviewed vegetarian platter and also took the lamb tibs, which was oh just so perfect! Still drool sometimes thinking of its taste: D

At the last minute, we had a big group that wanted a tasty Ethiopian meal — boy, did this place deliver! The food was good and the service was gracious. Yum! Yum! A hidden gem (well, hidden to us) but we’ll be back!

This is was definitely a one of a kind experience. We decided with this place after driving for an hour looking for a place to eat at midnight. This place opens till 1am!
When I first got there, I was a little hesitant since the outside looks a little shady and when you walk in there this strong fume of smell and I’m not good with smell but really, don’t be afraid!
The lady who works there was very welcoming and very nice. She was the hostess, waiter and chef! So crazy how she can handle the whole shop alone. But then it was just us in there so I don’t know how busy it gets during dinner time. Being the only one there, service was amazing.
We ordered the Ye beg tibs which is a lamb dish and the awaze beef dish. Both was very good. The only that was weird was their spongy break. Not sure how I feel about texture! After we finished eating she told us how she doesn’t like to waste food so she brought out some cheese she made. How amazing! So sweet! Definitely an experience I won’t forget!

When you arrive… don’t be afraid. The place is dark and a lil shady from the outside… especially if you come for dinner. But we ventured right ahead… and weren’t disappointed in the least.
We took our lovely hosts recommendation of Lamb Tibs and the Vege Plate. The Vege Plate cane with 5 assorted dishes like red and yellow lentil, spinach, carrots, potatoes, etc and in the middle a pile of Lamb Tibs served with a sauce. We ate this with an unlimited supply of the traditional fermented bread. Very light and fluffy… loved it.
Downside is that most of the menu is beef just a couple of Lamb, fish and one chicken dish. The main focus is on beef and Vege dishes. Interesting drinks selection too… with Tej Wine and Ethiopian coffee.
Would return for lunch!

I walk in, no one is there to great me in this hallway entrance. I was in a mood to try Ethiopian food for the first time. A Hispanic lady was walking by the hall by chance and greeted me. She was super nice and took my drink order, which I think was not her job by how shy she was. As I’m sitting there I am hearing the waitress arguing with someone on the phone for what went on for about 5 minutes. At that point I decided that my business was not wanted, mind you I was the only person there. Unfortunate that possibly their food was great, but I didn’t get to experience it because of a bad employee.

I just confirmed that I don’t like Ethiopian food. I tried it many years ago and swore that I would never try it again. I lost my mind tonight after reading Ghion Cultural Hall’s
menu. I ordered the Vegan Awaze Tibs and my boyfriend ordered the lamb tibs. We also ordered a side of fish.
My boyfriend devoured his food and mine. Therefore, I give it four stars. He loved it. He loves vinegar and saffron. There were about 2 pounds of rolled wet wet bread soaked in vinegar and saffron in each order. I don’t like vinegar and I don’t like saffron. Ethiopian food is the only food I have tried that I don’t like. I love Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Greek, Indian, French, Korean, Greek, Spanish, German, and everything else.
Since my boyfriend was crazy about the food, I trust that his tastes are close to those of the positive reviewers of Ghion.

I think I caught them on an off night and the food was still great!
Upon walking in the place was empty at about 7 pm The waitress/​chef/​bus boy took our order and headed straight into the kitchen to start cooking. The food came out and it was like I was eating a a good friends mothers house. No pretense just good flavors served with a warm smile.

My partner and I had been meaning to try this place for years and somehow it just never came up. We went in for dinner and were extremely pleased. We’ve both had Ethiopian before so we sort of knew what we were doing and the lady running the place was super friendly and helpful, providing descriptions, recommendations, and even instructions on how to eat «authentically».
I can’t remember the name of what we ordered but we got this giant platter that was right at the top of the front cover of the menu. We were both tired and impatient so we just chose an easy item. It was a mix of their various vegetable and meat dishes and it was all superb. If you’ve had Ethiopian before, you probably know what to expect and I imagine that this will be among the best you’ve had. Each dish was distinct and very flavorful while cooked perfectly. Each vegetable dish (lentils, chickpeas, carrots, potatoes…) was cooked just right and nothing was mushy, while each meat dish (beef, lamb, chicken) was tender and juicy, and each item seemed to have its own… personality? They were all distinct yet delicious. The food is served traditionally here so everything comes out on one big round tray which itself is lined with injera (think soft flatbread). I find this preferable as the injera soaks up the flavors of whatever dishes you’re eating, and it’s just freakin fantastic. The platter cost $ 35 and was more than enough for two big guys; we had leftovers.
They also have this house-​made honey wine. If alcohol is an option for you, you must try this! Trust.
It seemed that one lady was running it herself; we asked her and she said her help didn’t show up. Regardless, she did an admirable job — she was chef, hostess, and server all in one and we were never left wanting for something.
It was an all-​round excellent experience and we can’t wait to go back.
And they’re open late!

Food
We ordered 5 dishes that I can’t pronounce. The veggie plate seemed to have the best taste/​value. The price ended up being about $ 12 per person after we used the
coupon of -$ 25 if you spend $ 50. The corn, fish, and beef stood out. The raw meat from the half-​and-​half order was not that tasty. 5 dishes between 4 people was way to much food but we had to meet the minimum spend $ 50 coupon.
Décor
I like the décor better than the other Ethiopian places.
Service
Ethiopian restaurants seem to take a long time for some reason every time I go. This place was pretty quick but we were the only group there. The owner seemed really proud of his food and was enthusiastic to give me a to-​go box. I like that.
Would I come here again?
Sure. I still haven’t tried Desta yet but I’m going to say I liked this place better than that Ethopian place across from Desta.

The lamb was great. We were seated in a back with very loud music going on which ruined the experience a bit. The best part of the meal was the honey wine. Its a must have for new diners.

Ghion Cultural Hall, as I discovered last night, is part Ethiopian restaurant, part event hall, and part nightclub. My buddy and I checked out the first, but the owner kindly took us around to check out the rest of the space. We came here on a whim… It had decent Unilocal reviews and we were in the mood for Ethiopian (aside: I’m convinced shareable, family-​style, hands-​as-​utensils meals are the best for bonding with your dining companions)… The options we were familiar with were too far away so we gave Ghion a chance. And what we discovered? The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
We ordered the Ye Beg Tibs (lamb) and the veggie plate (a mélange of lentils, fresh salad, potatoes, carrots, etc) and a traditional carafe of tej aka honey wine aka liquid gold aka my third favorite alcoholic beverage. The owner was a one-​woman band when we went to Ghion – she was our server, our cook, our storyteller, our historian and our favorite. She’s get so excited talking about Ethiopia and the priests who live in caves and the Orthodox New Year and how in the 18 years Ghion has been open, the recipes for its dishes have not changed.
That’s some baller ish, my friend. The décor is cozy and seemingly traditional. Although I must say it’s a bit dingy and a little musty upon entrance (I blame the nightclub), all told, the experience was well worth it and I’m looking forward to my next visit. Also, kudos for the free, spicy popcorn to whet our appetites.
Give this spot a try.
Standby.

Went in on a Saturday afternoon and the place was completely empty, with one tv blaring in an empty room. Above the front door were signs offering a chicken wings and fries combo, which didn’t feel like a good sign. We walked through the entire, empty restaurant and just as we were leaving we hear a tiny little «Hello?» from a dining room. A woman came out, who’s English was very poor, and we asked if they were open and if we could eat. Yes, they were open and yes, we could eat. That was probably the most clear communication we had with that lady for our entire short stay there.
The dining area had an okay atmosphere, but it was dark, the a/​c wasn’t on, and the tv was extremely loud. The place was dirty and smelled musty, as if it had been closed for weeks and no one cleaned up before they re-​opened. It didn’t smell like food at all. We tried to order drinks but the lone server/​cook misunderstood everything we said — bringing us Heineken when we asked for Ethiopian beers, even after we pointed to the products on the menu. After we were able to get her to understand that she’d brought the wrong thing, she went back to the kitchen for a bit, then came back to let us know that they have no Ethiopian Beers. We tried ordering wine after that, and she did the same thing — went to the kitchen for a bit and then let us know that they have no wine. At all. We’d also asked for water, but none ever came.
That was about as much as we could take. I’d opened a Bud Light out of exhaustion of trying to get her to understand what I actually wanted, and we decided to just pay for that drink (with a tip) and leave. We didn’t want to take a chance on our food and bill getting messed up as well.
I don’t blame the woman there at all for our awful visit, she should have *never* been there alone. From what I could guess she is probably a cook and rarely has to serve people.
My question to the owners of this place: How could you have only one person in your restaurant, who speaks hardly any English, acting as both cook and server? Why wasn’t there at least 1 other person there who spoke English and knew your menu and bar? Why wasn’t the A/​C on? Why is the tv so loud? Why did the place smell so musty and old, like a thrift store? I agree that the current Unilocal rating is a fluke — I bet this place gets most of it’s business from the night club/​dinner crowd, which could be why the place was so pitiful when we tried to eat lunch there on a Saturday. Not coming back!

This is an odd place. We weren’t sure exactly where to enter (through the glass door, then the bead curtain). The hallway was dark and immediately reminded me of a funeral parlor – not a good sign. We stood around for a while wondering whether we were in the right place, but finally someone came to seat us.
When I asked if the veggie plate was enough for two people, our waiter just sort of shrugged and said it depended on how hungry you were. Definitely not helpful. We ordered the veggie plate and the vegan awaze tibs. I’ve never seen vegan meat on an Ethiopian menu, so this place definitely deserves props for that. This was definitely too much food for two people, however. Remember that you need to take into account the amount of injera you eat during your meal as well. We would have been fine with just the veggie plate.
One of my favorite Ethiopian dishes is the red lentils (mesir wat), which was well done here, though a little spicier than I’m used to. I wasn’t a huge fan of the vegan tibs, however. They didn’t really taste like they’d been marinated in anything, and just seemed like Gardein beef with the sauce poured on them. I wouldn’t order this again.
I have eaten at a fair number of Ethiopian restaurants, and this one is definitely trying, but I’ve had better.

This was an interesting experience. This is a great place to try out Ethiopian food for the first time like me. Our waitress was helpful explaining everything about the dishes.
I also got the ceremonial coffee. Order while placing your food order since it takes awhile. It was cool since it came out with incense. Plus the coffee is strong!!! I drank the pot by myself and it was the first time I have ever had after effects from caffeine. I was up all night so it’s strong stuff!

Ethipopian. Sounds interesting right?! Hence I went here. Lol. The owner (?) was super cordial and nice. He was a tad strange at first since my friend and I were asking for some food recommendations, but he only seemed to smile at us without really acknowledging our question so it made it sort of strange. :/​
The restaurant was dimly lit, but it had a lounge type atmosphere where you can chill and enjoy a hookah. In the back wall, you can see the different types of alcohol they serve as well.
We both ended up getting lamb. The ye-​beg tibs to be exact since we weren’t feeling like getting the stew (ye-​beg key wet – spicy version or alicha – mild version). There were other meat choices like beef and chicken of course, but you’re getting Ethiopian so you might as well go with an exotic meat choice.
So you have to know that you will be using your hands for this dish. There will be a flat bread/​tortilla style item used to wrap the lamb with. The lamb itself was tender and pretty flavorful. There was a spicy sauce that can be used to flavor the lamb, but the jalapeños already mixed in with the meat will do it. For me, I just can’t seem to have gotten enough of the spices.
A gentleman sitting near us recommended the KITFO. This is usually served raw, but you can ask for it to be cooked to your liking. I think this is similar to the dulet on the menu, but I don’t really recall since I wasn’t proactive in this conversation. Just scratch my attempt as the description since I have not the slightest clue what was recommended to us.
Parking… Um. It pretty much sucked. Even moseying to this place on a Tuesday evening, the few cars there already made it seem crowded. I cannot imagine this place getting busy and packed. The actual parking lot can hold like maybe 8 cars max. Perhaps even less. There is another business right next door too so maybe people do us that side of the parking lot as well.

It has been four years since I first had Ethiopian cuisine; that was during a two week sojourn in Texas. I mulled over reviews and thought about going back to Desta, but chose this place instead and I am glad I did.
Do not be dismayed about the external of the building, but about the car park; very small, however I was able to get a spot there. After I entered, I confirmed that it was okay to park in the adjacent car park with the fence around it.
The dining area in the back of the building is nice. I chose to eat at a Mesob.(traditional Ethiopian table).
I previewed the menu online before I arrived and decided that I would order the Ghion Cultural Special. Considering that it has been years since I have eaten Ethiopian cuisine, I wanted a feast!
It is a combination plate of vegetables, kitfo (beef tartare), dry tibs (beef), awaze tibs (lamb & onions) and doro wat (spicy chicken). I was able to substitute the kitfo with the dulet (lamb liver, tripe and beef prepared with spices and butter). My server recommended it semi-​cooked, not well done. Seeing dulet (something I had not previously eaten) on the menu was one reason why I chose this place over the others; it was the best meat on the plate! I would come back just for the dulet.
The first time I had Tej, (honey wine), I did not like it, as it was too sweet. Since it is house-​made here, I decided to try it. It was good and tasted better than the Tej I had previously. It is served in a traditional container called a berele.
After I finished eating, I ordered Bunna (Ethiopian coffee). It is served in a Jebena and is accompanied with burning incense. The Bunna was good without sugar. It tasted different from other coffees I have previously tasted.
No issues with the service.
Five stars for the dining experience and food. I would come here again!