Flamingo Restaurant

We had a wonderful meal here and plan on coming back again soon!

We ordered samosas, the traveller, and lamb curry. Everything was really delicious, but the lamb curry was fantastic. Also, served with the traveller was really nice, rich lentils. Also, the service was terrific, Will be back for more!

The best East African food I’ve had. Service is good, a little slow though.
Their injera cannot be missed. It blew my mind.
I gotta mention here about the ambience. It is better than the other Ethiopian restaurants in town. And yes they have a decent amount of vegetarian/​vegan options too.
Well priced, good food, nice ambience. Any more reasons needed? This place is definitely worth going back

We have really been looking forward to going to Flamingo as we’ve heard so many great things; we were not disappointed! Wonderful, delicious, fantastic food. This place is awesome. The owner is the warmest host, the location is super cool, and the food is first-​rate. We will be going back very soon.

This is top notch food prepared with love. Everything we had was delicious and the price is very good (especially for the quality)! I will be back for the Sunday brunch. GO HERE and enjoy!

A good choice for someone new to Ethiopian food! They offer sample platters and the prices are reasonable so you can afford to order a few things to try and share. We ordered Sambusa w/​lentils for the appetizer and the the Vegetarian Combination (Alicha, Hamil, Ater and Timtimo) and Dorho Kilwa. Nice spice on the Timtimo (red split lentils) and the Dorho Kilwa however the chicken on the latter dish was dry.
We were told in our way out they have a buffet… I recommend doing that! Perfect way to try many things and find what you like.

We came here for lunch during our staycation (aka hanging around the house and playing video games and not being at work), and it was great. The décor is cute and the food was very solid — not overly oily, full of different flavors, and the lentil sambusa were expertly fried. The service was prompt, a little disorganized but without overly long waits. We live pretty close so we’ll definitely be back.

Went there with a few friends for dinner and when they brought out plates, water, etc. they kept forgetting something for one person each time they brought out something. Besides the so-​so service, the food was mediocre. We got a variety of things for all of us to share and the portions of the large was the same as the regular, with the exception of more rice in the large. That’s it. And portions are kind of small compared to other Ethiopian restaurants I’ve been to. The curry was super oily it made the sourdough bread thing soggy. I’d recommend going to Blue Nile instead.

The ladies who run Flamingo are great hosts, they always have a smile and a kind word ready for visitors. Their excellently prepared food is a major highlight of the day when I visit. We often order a veggie platter to share, but the sambusas, shiro and doro tibs are also favorites. Parking is a little tricky with construction going on next door, but it’s worth finding a place to satisfy injeera cravings.

Best food I’ve had in a long time from Africa via Ethiopia. As well good service and didn’t have to wait long for my meal.

Best shiro I’ve had! Friendly host and delicious food. Will definitely be coming back.

My first visit to Flamingo. It is clean and nicely decorated, friendly, polite, and best of all excellent food. I had the very generous vegetarian combo plate that was. I have not had injeera before but it was light and delicate. I will be eating here again.
Another reason to visit this restaurant is their willingness to give to the community.
My only other Ethiopean experience? Fasika. Lamb was all bone, service was spectactularly rude although they had only just opened, and portions were small — not that that matters if they are all bone. Their friends, who came in considerably after I and my friend were seated, and served long before we were acknowledged.

The way I celebrate a success is by eating copious amount of food. My two close friends gave me the option to choose where to eat this time around and trusty Unilocal let me to this place (keeping in mind I was searching about a mile radius from my target, Grand Olé Creamery).
First, I would not come here necessarily for the ambiance. They have a lot of décor which is sort of cute. But we actually were not sure if they were open from the outside because of the dim lighting. I think it is also tucked away from the main street which makes it harder to locate.
Second, their cause is great. The owners of the place are two female East African activists. Basically, when I heard about that, I was sold. But even within the restaurant they have many opportunities to donate, either by purchasing some african tea, homemade jewelry, or donate a meal. They also have events, e.g., dinners, some meetings, etc that they advertise to learn more about how to find charities and give back. The servers were very nice and let us know that we can provide emails if we would like and they send information regarding these events. Anyhow, props to the owners.
Third, food is really good for the price. I partially chose here because one of my friends is a vegetarian and I wanted a place with enough options. She end up getting a vegetarian platter which was literally huge and with 3 veg entrée, lentil side, and house salad. My friend and I both got the kilwa/​tibs small plate. It had this sort of stewed beef cubes with lentils and salad, on top of injera. The lentils were great — perfectly flavored and almost a hint of sweetness (reminded me of corn). Salad is good, but nothing too unique. The beef stew was well seasoned and bit spicy. But my only gripe was it was a bit tough/​overcooked. Overall I enjoyed my meal and for $ 7.99, it was a really good price. I also got sambusas with my friends. They both had lentil while the carnivore in me wanted beef. These sambusas are SOOO good. They come with this yogurt looking sauce that pairs well. I would say this is one of the best sambusas I’ve had around here. They end up $ 6 for 3 and you can mix and match.
Fourth, service was great. The two servers were pretty young and very energetic. They asked for our names and told us hers. Honestly i was too busy looking at the menu and nodding that i dont remember. But, its the thought that counts! they were very attentive to check on the table for water, how the food tasted, etc
Overall, I had a great experience and left quite happy. Will I come back? I am not sure… Mainly because where the place is located is not ideal/​convenient, but If it was located closer to wear I live, they would probably see me visit the restaurant often.

I enjoy food that is different from what I make at home and the Flamingo did not disappoint. The Flamingo offers MANY vegan entrees; their vegetarian combination platter provided a delightful assortment of new taste sensations. However, I must recommend the Shiro (Soul Food): so warm and creamy.
The people running the Flamingo are the finest you’ll ever meet: they donate part of the proceeds to charity. Our server was warm and welcoming. I felt instantly at home. I felt like family! Service is not fast: it’s RELAXED.
I’m not a big fan of Ethiopian food, but I do crave something new and different and the offerings at the Flamingo provide a truly unique dining experience. I like the atmosphere of the place, too. The restaurant was quiet and pleasant. Go there to enjoy something outside your usual dining experience! When you dine at the Flamingo, you’re supporting a local business, a woman-​owned business, and a charity. There’s a lot of good stuff about the Flamingo!

My favorite Ethiopian restaurant was closed so I decided to give this place a shot and I wish I’d gone somewhere else. The vegitarian combination only comes with three dishes and they weren’t very good. The staff was very friendly but the food was sub par. Demera is a few blocks away and its the best in town.

Flamingo was my go-​to to satisfy my Ethiopian cravings without forking over $$ for it.
I usually ordered the tibs entrée. The menu indicated that with each entrée order you also get a house salad and a Chef’s choice of a vegetable salad which has always been the yellow lentils.
However, that was usually not the case.
On numerous visits, whether I was dining in or ordering to-​go, they tended to forget one of the sides. In addition, the portions were also VERY inconsistent and the wait was long considering how dead it normally was in there.
The tibs are not the best. Flavorless with quite the heat from the jalapenos and so oily that I’ve had to request to have my injera on the side after my first visit. The yellow lentils are so bland that I don’t even have a problem with it when they forget it in my order. On the other hand, as basic as the salad is, I love it and so I get really disappointed when I don’t get it with my order (usually happens when I ordered to-​go).
I’m pretty sure you guys are asking at this point why I kept coming back. I think I really wanted to support them because the staff was so kind. Plus, it’s always so dead in there, no matter what time of day.
If you have expert Ethiopian tastes and/​or know what you like, I wouldn’t put high hopes in leaving having your taste buds challenged. But if you are trying it for the first time or a newb, I guess it’s okay to start here.

The vegetarian sampler was delicious. Service was really friendly. Prices are great. This is conveniently located on the Green Line, so I’ll definitely be back.

Little neighborhood gem near the green line. Had high hopes but overall, thought the food was good but not great.
Sambusas are delightful and fresh.
Tried the veggie combo plate and it was okay. You get more variety with the veggie combo plate at Fasika. Also, some of the items at Flamingo were too dry. For example, the green lentils had no sauce whatsoever on them. The preparation is probably healthier but just wasn’t as tasty to us as Fasika or even Blue Nile.

The food is absolutely AMAZING. The owner is an absolute delight as well. The greatest part of this restaurant is their newly added beer and wine list! Finally some fantastic Tej (Ethiopian honey wine)!! Stop in and get the sampler platters!

This place is really something — aside from the sketchy, dimly lighted neighborhood. I’ve only ever had Ethiopian food once before this and it was pretty good as far as I can remember. Never really got the chance to check back into that place since. I just recently moved to the Twin Cities and I heard that the African cuisine in the cities is amazing. Just wanted a local place that is as traditional as it gets and landed on Flamingo Restaurant.
The first thing I liked about it was that parking was abundant and very very close to the entrance. This was at about 6:30 at night — not sure what it’s like during the day. The second thing I liked right away was the restaurant itself. Very authentic music and décor and best of all — CLEAN.
The food was, needless to say, amazing. I had the Beef Kilwa with Injera. I got this in a large — which may I add if you are planning to get a large be prepared to stuff your face and then some. The portions are like a small planet, very round and HUGE. My friend got the curried lamb also came with Injera. Everything was spicy and cooked perfectly. The spices and herbs all blended together and mixed with all the meat and veggies and then dipped with the Injera bread — the perfect mix.
Very polite and relaxing service. I enjoyed my dinner very much. Everything about it. Will be coming again very soon for the many years to come.

I was feeling pretty daring today so we took advantage of it and decided on this Ethiopian Restaurant. It was a little daunting when we pulled up as no one was there but it slowly started to fill up. We were promptly seated and water was brought. Our server was extremely nice and helpful. We later found out, she was one of the owners. The other owner is an author of a book about her flee from her country and her hardships and triumphs she experienced. Her book is for sale at the restaurant, my friend bought it and i can not wait to read it.
On to the food-​We ordered an appetizer which was three puff like pastry things filled with beef which was very very good. I would say this was my favorite part of the meal aside from the fact they were cold in the middle. They were served with two sauces and all three of us liked them.
For drinks we had homemade mango lemonade and fresh mango juice, both very generously sized.
Two of us ordered a chicken dish with garlic, jalapeño, ginger, and some other spices. The salad was fresh and the beans were tasty. The other dish ordered was a beef dish which I did not care for at all. I hated the taste of it so bad, I had to spit it out in a napkin, I could not even finish chewing it. Only one of us liked that dish which was served with greens and salad. I am not a good one to judge a beef dish, however, as I do not like chunks of beef to begin so I should have known better than to even try it. Both dishes were served on injera on huge white platters.
They did run out of goat meat and I overheard our server telling another table, they get it in fresh daily so you can be assured the meats are fresh. I am not sure I am a huge fan of Ethiopian food but I am glad I gave it a whirl and proud of myself actually that I went out of my comfort zone.
I am giving this place four stars because the service was beyond great and you really feel welcome here. I really hope they make a go of this restaurant. I will be back to try the gyro platter, something a little safer for me and another big glass of that homemade lemonade.
Try this place out if you like Ethiopian food, you won’t be disappointed.

I’m surprised the Flamingo hasn’t popped up on the Unilocal radar yet — though it can be easy to miss with the minimalist storefront.
I’ve been here a few of times over the past year and have always enjoyed the resulting food coma. It appears that they’ve recently revamped their menu quite a bit, and as much as I would’ve liked to explore the old one a bit more, I’ve already made mental notes of new additions I will be going back to sample. I’m not sure if it’s new, or if I just didn’t notice in the past, but they also have a lunch buffet to appease those looking to fall asleep on their desk in the afternoon.
My first stop here was my first exposure to Eritrean cuisine and other than repeat trips to the Flamingo I don’t have any other experience to draw upon. With that said, their offerings seem to fall in line with what you’d expect (if you’re familiar with the cuisine or, like me, blindly trust everything Wikipedia says), meaning heavy Ethiopian influences and even a few Italian dishes. A lot of the entrees are pretty meat-​centric (mainly beef, lamb, chicken and goat), but they also have a number of vegetarian options for those of you that don’t want to get all of your amino acids.
Service has always been über-​friendly and courteous. Prices are reasonable for the quality of the food and portions are generous. It’s never been very busy at night when I’ve stopped by to dine-​in or carry out, but I’ve heard they draw a decent crowd during the day. The Flamingo will definitely keep me coming back (especially for the injera — which might be the best I’ve come across in the Cities so far — gyros, lamb and goat curries).