Gojo Ethiopian

Had never been there, so tried the buffet to get a sample of the breadth of choices. Injera was a education — did not know how to eat with it until a bit of Google-​fu. Food was excellent and the waiter was quiet, attentive, and gracious. Will definitely return.

Delicious Ethiopian! Have the spiced tea it is so good. We got the vegetarian combo and shared it but really it is appropriate for one person. The food is yum yum yum. Clean and spiced just right.

loved it!

Very good Ethiopian food! Loved the awaze tibs & shiro wet! The cheese appetizer was really good too. We also ordered several other veggies & a lamb dish-​all were good. Also-​the inside is clean & much nicer than it looks from the outside. We will be back.

If only everything could be eaten with your hands…
Gojo Ethiopian offers a pretty authentic eating experience with its menu, and its BYOB option is the best! My bf and I like to come here for dinner with a bottle of wine and order the meat and veggie combination platter. 1 platter isn’t enough for 2 people, so get 2. Overall, the food here is unique and pretty good. Some of the dishes are a bit bland, but the spicier options hit the spot.
The décor is small and nothing overly impressive; however, I would definitely recommend trying this place at least once if you’re at all adventurous.

Pretty much blown away by how good the food was. Got the veggie sides plate — number 22 if my memory is right. The pancake type bread is soft and spongy, perfect for combining with the other food options.
It’s definitely more of a take out place, which seems to be the general consensus from people I know that recommended this place.
Look forward to my next meal from Gojo. It’s soo tasty — and great options for vegetarians.

It doesn’t look like much, but the food is authentic and delicious! We’ve been several times since discovering this gem. Highly recommend the lamb (#13 on the menu).

I’ve been here 3 times now, so I figure its about time I leave a review!
Both of their appetizers… Ayib Begomen and Sambusa… are great choices. I’m big on cheese, so I fancy the Ayib Begomen in particular! My only complaint about the appetizers is the portions are pretty darn small if you plan on sharing them with someone.
The food is tasty. I’ve had the Beef Tibs, and QeyW’et.which were delicious. The Chicken Curry & Peas was so-so…but I don’t think that’s a true Ethiopian dish. I was never a big fan of the bread. Injera, but after my last visit, it seems to be growing on me!
I also love that they have plenty of vegetarian options.
Great place for a date night! :)

Our friends took us here for dinner so we had no idea what we were in for.
No silverware for one. Haha
The bread the food comes out on wasn’t my favorite which is the only reason I’m not giving them 5 stars but everything else was great! The stuff on the bread was delicious, lentil stuff, all kind of mushy. I’m not making it sound very appetizing but it was.
Our table did the coffee ceremony which was so interesting. It was a 20 minute process. Very nice.
I had a great time. Probably wouldn’t go back though. The spongy bread wasn’t for me.

I’ve been eating Ethiopian food for 30 years now so I’ve sampled my share of injera. We’re new in Nashville and were delighted to find Gojo just a mile from my wife’s office (thanks Unilocal!).
Like most Ethiopian places, Gojo’s décor is understated and it’s not fancy — it’s all about the food. Which is delicious. We split the ground beef sambussa appetizer, which was fine, but did nothing in particular for me.
The vegetarian combo (my «go-​to, first test» at any Ethiopian place) was spot-​on. Lentils, split-​peas, green-​bean carrot medley, greens (collards, perhaps) were all cooked and spiced perfectly.
The vibe inside was friendly, laid-​back — you felt like you could sit over tea or coffee for two hours and they wouldn’t care (or would overtly approve). Speaking of which, the party next to us had the «coffee service», which includes incense and coffee which will cause you to «see through time» (© Lisa Simpson). It looked and smelled delicious.
For those who have never been to an Ethiopian restaurant, I think it’s the perfect place to take kids if they’re a little adventurous (or need to be a little more adventurous). It’s rare that kids get to grab food with their fingers and this tastes better and is more nutritious than pizza or fried chicken.
We’ll definitely have to check out some of Nashville’s other Ethiopian spots but this is right at the top of our list either for an easy going «I don’t feel like cooking» evening or a place to take out of town guests who have had their fill of barbecue.

Friendly family run business that cares about serving tasty Ethiopian cuisine! I always enjoy my meals here — so thumbs up for consistency!
Pros:
–Tasty food for both meat lovers and vegetarians alike. You can taste the subtle spices in all their foods — does not overwhelm — its just right! Nice variety on menu.
–Coffee service — love it!
–Nice ambiance
–Friendly service
–Fair prices for the food served
–Private parking lot — easy breezy!
Cons:
— limited drinks selections

We had 2 of the Meat and Veg combinations to try everything. I think it was number 12 or 23. Sorry can’t remember. To start had the
Ayib Begomen Farmer’s cheese mixed w/​collard greens, spiced butter, & a touch of mia-​mita (chili powder). Served over toasted Italian bread. There were 4 pieces. Tasted like farmers cheese with spices. –OK to try, but may not have again. Would have liked to try the Sambusa’s– I think similar to Samosa’s. Next time.
So we had the
Qey-W’et — Fresh, tender beef stew w/​onion, garlic, fresh ginger, berbere, hot pepper & spiced butter. MY FAVORITE OF ALL DISHES.
Yebeg Alicha –Tender pieces of lamb simmered in mild sauce & seasoned w/​fresh ginger, garlic & tumeric. Doro w’et. Not a lamb person, but if you like lamb, this would be considered very good.
Doro W’et Two chicken legs marinated in lemon juice, then sauteed in spiced butter & seasoned w/​pepper garlic, onions, fresh ginger & spices. Served w/​a hard-​boiled egg. I only remember one chicken leg. Spice was good, but did not simmer into the chicken, but still very good. Spices went into the egg.
Minchet Abish (Deqa)
Finely chopped prime beef, sauteed in butter & simmered in hot sauce seasoned w/​spices & fresh herbs. This to me was not memorable or my taste buds were done after I went around to this one. ‘
Miser W’et-Split lentils cooked w/​onion, garlic, & ginger in house special sauces & hot pepper. –Also not memorable, spiced lentils is what I remember.
Kik Aletcha Yellow split peas cooked w/​fresh ginger, garlic, & onion & finished w/​turmeric sauce. These were tasty, but I def could not just eat veg’s alone here, bc the meats are very good.
Shiro W’et Ground & highly seasoned chickpeas cooked w/​onion & garlic. Also spicy, but very fine ground, but not like hummas.
Ye’atkilt W’et Fresh string beans, carrots, & onions sauteed in flavorful mild sauce. — Very good, but just had some amazing green beens in Cali so was still thinking of those.
Presentation was nice with the Injera under the whole plate and basket of it. My partner used a lot the Injera at first and I tried to tell him to ease off because it expands in your stomach. Really spongy How do they make it?
Service was very good. We had water, wish I knew about the coffee. NEXT TIME.
Parking was easy in the back and there were 2 taxi cabs parked. Hmmm 1 looked like the car that took me from the airport. Will go back for the buffet as it is very affordable, Dinner was also for such a lovely meal. Really really wish I had the coffee. Oh it is BYOB too. Forgot about that.

Last night was my 2^nd time here. My friend and I walked in at 9:45pm and they closed at 10:00pm. We asked if it was okay and they seated us without hesitation.
We ordered a Curried Lamb dish to share. It was amazing. They were pleasant, thry never rushed us, and the food was amazing.
Being from Nashville, I am never sure of ethnic fare. I recommend this pkace highly.

This was excellent. Fast and kind service. The food is very very good. I will return to this place and try other dishes.
I had lamb, chicken, cabbage and lentils. I would have to get used to eating with my hands. The bread that you use to eat with is different in a good way.
Highly recommended. Worth the drive.

Best Ethiopian food around! Don’t let this little blue shack deceive you. Go in for a fantastic, diverse, well priced lunch buffet or for a wonderful and filling evening meal. Make sure to bring your own wine and always (even in the evening) do the coffee ceremony! You won’t be disappointed!

3.5 stars but decided to round up since there are not a lot of ethiopian restaurants in nashville. Honestly, I’ve had better. The injera was good, but it’s pretty basic and hard to get wrong. My goat had some small bones in it which made it not as appetizing. The sides were bland. I’ve definitely had better ethiopian food elsewhere, so I had something to compare to. Otherwise, it’s a decent little place, not too bad, worth a visit.

I’m a big fan of Ethiopian cuisine, so I had to check out this place while in Nashville. The restaurant has a small, intimate, family owned feel to it. The server was nice and willing to explain the menu items for me. I got the vegetable platter and the food was pretty good and authentic! I got 2 appetizers (vegetable sambusas & Ayib Begomen) which I could have done without. The veggie sambusa was the best out of the 2, but they weren’t as good as what I normally have. For authentic Ethiopian cuisine, this is a good spot to try.

My husband and I have been here twice now. We love it. Both times we went to Gojo it was our date night, on a Thursday evening. There were quite a few people in there both times we have gone. I am sure it’s hopping on a Friday or weekend.
The food is fantastic. We have ordered a number of things of the menu and have never been disappointed. I will warn you traditional Ethiopian food is eaten with your fingers. Utensils will not be brought to the table when your food is brought out. They will be brought to the table upon request but it’s way more fun to eat with your fingers. Not having utensils adds to the experience.
My husband and I had hot tea at the end of our meal. It was delicious and complimented the food very well I highly recommend it.
The building is interesting it’s definitely a hole in the wall. It’s got mismatched tables and chairs but it’s great.
Their prices are very reasonable and we always leave happy tummys and wallets.
They are child friendly we haven’t brought our one year old. But they do have high chairs and we have seen a little 9 month old boy there with his family. They waitress was very interactive with him.
They do no serve alcohol but it is BYOB and we have seen other people bring wine and beer. So feel free to bring some of your own.
We love this place and would recommend it to anybody. Great food fun place to eat.

I reserved Gojo for a party of 25 folks and we had a blast here! We had a welcome dinner that I was planning and wanted things to be particularly arranged. Gojo did a fantastic job of accommodating us.
The first time I went by Gojo, I had a hard time locating them. They have a small sign in the front which can be easy to miss if you’re just driving by on Thompson Lane. I had to turn around and come back! They had small private parking area in the back so don’t get worked up about the busy street parking.
The inside of Gojo has lots of traditional Ethiopian decorations. It looks quite lovely! It smells even better. Although they are a small family owned restaurant, they can cater for 200+ people and so if you want to use them for an event, make sure to reserve early. I did not but thank goodness they were able to add me on to their handwritten calendar. :)
On the day of the event, I went in with a couple of welcome signs that I wanted to leave someone visible. They literally took the signs from me and stapled them on to their own walls. The owner then asked me if that was visible enough. I have never been to a restaurant where they let you hang outside, handmade posters for your event so this was an amazing gesture on their part! During the event, they went to each table and explained the food options to our friends. They also came by frequently to fill waters for all 25 people. They had arranged the seats to ensure we had a whole room which gave us some privacy as well.
Their food, perhaps obvious from my five stars, was REALLY good. We ordered a couple of the two meat and two vegetable platters. Each of these served three people and came with lots of breads. While we ate with our hands, we liked the option of being given some utensils. If you go individually or simply want your own dish versus family style, there are smaller dishes as well.
After the meal, the owner and his wife (the chef) sat me down and made me some tea while we sorted the bill. How wonderful of them! They told me about the history of the business and about themselves. I suddenly realized that I had forgotten our tax exempt paper at home. The owners just gave me their card and asked me to call them the next day with the account number. I was completely taken aback by how trusting their were of someone they just met a couple of hours ago.
Given my schedule, I completely forgot to call these folks back the next day and give them the number. No worries, they give me a call themselves!
Overall, amazing service. We all felt so warmly welcomed and I was so happy we decided to go with the locally owned Gojo!

This place was quite solid if you’re in the mood for Ethiopian food. I had the spicy lamb, and it wasn’t spicy. Oh well. The cheese appetizer was quite good. The sponge bread is odd, but that’s Ethiopian for you. They actually do have spoons if you don’t want to eat with just the bread and your fingers.
The restroom was really fun with their trampoline floor.