Nestled in the heart of Downtown Ann Arbor, Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant invites you to embark on a culinary adventure that celebrates the vibrant flavors of Ethiopia. This cozy and colorful eatery offers an all-you-can-eat experience that showcases a delightful array of meat and vegetarian dishes served atop injera, a traditional flatbread that doubles as both plate and utensil. The communal style of dining encourages sharing, enhancing connections among friends as you savor each bite together.
A typical Ethiopian spread with injera and various stews.
A Unique Dining Experience
Blue Nile of Ann Arbor offers diners an unforgettable experience centered around the rich traditions of Ethiopian cuisine. The Blue Nile has unique Ethiopian food served family style. Instead of silverware, you tear off pieces of spongy injera (the thin traditional Ethiopian bread) and use it to pinch up bites of vegetables and meat. It’s hands on eating - if you didn’t know, you eat with your hands by tearing off a piece of injera, using it to grab some food, and eating it. I actually loved doing this because it kept my fiancé and I off our phones.
For added perspective, I waited until my older son was home. He spent a couple summers in east Africa, took cooking classes there, and regularly frequented Ethiopian restaurants when working in Washington, D.C. When our schedules finally converged on a Friday evening, I called to ask if we’d need a reservation for four. We did and were promptly led to a snug modern booth (they also have traditional Ethiopian tables and stools) as the room filled steadily with groups of students and families. The dining room is invitingly spacious, with folksy artistic accents, including jewelry and textiles illuminated in a glass case at the host station.
While brewpubs and other trendy eateries have popped up around this prominent corner, and fast food joints have come and gone, the staying power of the Blue Nile is impressive-it opened in 1989 on Braun Ct. As it rounds out its third decade, an update seems due.
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Menu Highlights and Dining Options
Ordering dinner is simple: you choose between the all-you-can-eat Vegetarian Feast (which is also entirely vegan), or the Ethiopian Feast, which adds a trio of chicken and beef dishes. The vegetarian buffet is all vegan and alllll good. All you can eat vegetarian feast (that is in fact vegan). Great way to be able to try out several Ethiopian dishes. The vegetarian feast items contain no meat or dairy products.
After our server took away the white steaming-hot towels we used to clean our hands, he ceremoniously created a mandala-like centerpiece of rich-hued lentils, stewed dried peas, shiny braised cabbage, collards, and vegetables mixed with potatoes. Some dishes were mild, but legume stews had a real bite when spiced with berbere sauce (chili peppers, garlic, ginger, and other familiar spices along with exotic rue berries and ajwain). I liked every one of the seven vegetable stews-and their flavors went well together. My son also thought the veggie dishes were very good, more dense and filling than he has sometimes encountered. He was a bit disappointed, however, that the injera wasn’t made with one of the traditional African flours, like nutty teff or sweet sorghum. People avoiding gluten can substitute rice for the injera.
The plot thickened with the savory meat dishes. The menu provides evocative detail on how Ethiopia’s historically low-fat diet is rooted in pre-refrigeration preservation techniques. Poultry, for example, is skinned and then soaked overnight in lemon juice to break down fats before and during cooking. The meat was falling off the chicken legs as they were ladled onto the bed of injera at our table.
We liked the mild doro alecha, which is cooked in “niter kibbe” (garlic-and-spiced clarified butter) but found the doro wat irresistible-it’s built on the same base but is kicked into gear with berbere. Lean berbere beef, the third meat included in the all-you-eat feast, has a barbecue-like sweet tang. Lamb is an extra-cost option. As advertised, it was lean and not gamy, but it was also salty to the point of tasting brined.
At lunch, the Blue Nile offers a lighter intro to Ethiopian eating. It’s less expensive and less communal. You can still get the feasts, but they also offer individual Ethiopian entrees and a couple of American-style appetizers-cheeseburger-like sliders made with berbere beef and cheddar, and potato skins topped with that tender doro wat. A lunchtime Afropop soundtrack went great with sun streaming through the big front window. My fresh romaine timatim house salad had a lovely balanced dressing of lemon juice, light oil, and salt. It went perfectly with the pita-like baked injera chips and with house-made hummus.
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Why You Should Visit Blue Nile
- Experience authentic Ethiopian cuisine with flavorful vegetarian platters and tender meat dishes
- Enjoy a communal dining experience using traditional injera bread
- Appreciate exceptional service from attentive staff members
Customer Reviews
Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant in Ann Arbor has garnered rave reviews for its authentic Ethiopian cuisine and exceptional service. Reviewers praise the flavorful vegetarian platter, tender chicken doro wat, and communal dining experience using injera bread. The attentive staff, including waiters who provide hot wet towels before and after meals, add to the welcoming ambiance of the restaurant. Guests appreciate the gluten-free options like teff flour injera and spiced Ethiopian tea. The healthy yet satisfying dishes leave diners feeling full but not heavy, making it a go-to spot post-workout or for a relaxing meal with friends.
Here are a few highlighted reviews:
Review 1: "This was my first time tasting Ethiopian food and Blue Nile didn’t disappoint! I got the vegetarian platter and thought all of the lentils were delicious and warm. It was fun, but a bit messy, to use the injera to pick up the lentils. The chicken doro wat was extremely tender and falling off the bone, and had an amazing sauce. The waiters bring you a hot wet towel to wipe your hands with before and after eating and are very nice."
Review 2: "I make it a point to come to Blue Nile about once a year, and every time, it reminds me why it’s such a gem. The vegetarian platter is consistently phenomenal-vibrant, flavorful, and deeply satisfying. The staff strike the perfect balance: warm, attentive, and present without hovering. If you’re looking for a place that never misses-this is it. Strongly recommend."
Review 3: "The Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant in Ann Arbor is an absolute gem. We came for dinner and left completely blown away, not just by the food, but by the incredible service. The waitstaff was fantastic (and I mean FANTASTIC). Huge shoutout to our waiter Promise (yes, his name really is Promise, and he lived up to it) and Netsi, who both went above and beyond to make sure our table was cared for. The food itself was just as amazing... Between the incredible service, healthy yet filling food, and the family-style experience of sharing everything together, Blue Nile easily deserves more than five stars. If you’re in Ann Arbor, don’t just eat here, experience it."
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One reviewer noted, "Wow, what a great restaurant! Tried it for the first time yesterday and I’ll most assuredly be back. I ordered the spicy chicken with the vegetarian feast. (With the veg feast being all you can eat, the chicken is optional/a delicacy). Everything was cooked to perfection and the staff members were all very attentive. Great view of downtown Ann Arbor too. Loved it. A+ all the way!"
Another diner shared, "Blue Nile showcases a themed dining experience centered around sharing an all-you-can-eat vegetarian platter as a group. Meats can be added but they are not all-you-can-eat. As far as I could tell, the restaurant does not offer any substantial food options besides this. I felt that the food offered was good and presented a medley of cultural Ethiopian flavors. However, the way the dining experience is structured around the requirement of getting the vegetarian feast means that one experience of dining here is likely to be the same as another. The experience seemed a little overpriced for our group because we had smaller apetites, but it is all-you-can-eat, so I understand where they are coming from. Even so, those who seek to dine here should be aware that they are paying for a novelty dining experience, it is unique and interesting in its own way but other venues in Ann Arbor may offer more flavor for the same amount of paper."
Tips Before You Go
- Consider trying the all-you-can-eat vegetarian feast for an immersive dining experience
- Opt for teff flour injera for a gluten-free option with unique taste
- Make reservations in advance as Blue Nile can get busy during peak hours or weekends
- If you have a smaller appetite, be mindful of the pricing structure based on all-you-can-eat offerings at Blue Nile
Additional Services
In addition to its diverse menu featuring authentic Ethiopian dishes, Blue Nile provides a variety of services including catering and banquet facilities, making it an ideal venue for special events and celebrations. The restaurant also offers gift certificates, allowing patrons to share the unique dining experience with friends and family.
Location and Contact Information
The Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant is located at:
221 E Washington St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2007
For reservations or inquiries, it's best to contact them directly.
