Ethio Beans Ethiopian Restaurant and Cafe - Carol Stream, Illinois

Eric L.

This is one of the handful African restaurants in the burbs and a certainly a gem of a find. It’s a restaurant that doubles as a store. Dining as a couple, we ordered the sambusa and the Etho Bean Combo. Sambusa was as crispy and light like a good similar filo pastry should. The filling was lentil and meat that was tasty. The combo was meant for three people but two hungry people can easily polish the plate. The injera was good as expected and the medley of veg and meats was a good way to experience Ethiopian cuisine. The hostess was very friendly and check in on us frequently. While there, check out the store for the interesting assortment of goods. We enjoyed the food and the service, and would certainly come again. A word of caution…go easy on the injera as it has the propensity to expand in the stomach after consumption. But being a super food high in fiber and protein, it’s a great filling meal. I’ve dined in numerous Ethiopian restaurants in D.C and in the city. Etho Beans albeit its simple decor is as good as most places. Highly recommended. (Btw, love the burned incense that filled the air. Very refreshing and calming)

Jon M.

Ethio Beans is amazing! We had the buffet option for lunch. The authentic Ethiopian dishes are full of flavor and the injera pairs perfectly with the stews and lentil dishes. Great hospitality and fresh, vibrant food. Definitely worth a visit!

April T.

Authentic, freshly made, absolutely delicious Ethiopian food! Highly recommend this place!! We travel 2 hours every week to this area for medical care and this is the one restaurant we most look forward to having lunch at while in town! Plenty of gluten free options. Every dish is filled with so much flavor. Their tea is delicious too! And the owner is the sweetest lady who is super friendly and such a delight to talk to! If you haven't tried Ethiopian food yet or if you have and are looking for a good restaurant, this is your place! She has some great regular costumers we are getting to know as well. Nice atmosphere, clean space, wonderful customer service and AMAZING food!

Samantha K.

I had an amazing experience at Ethio Beans and can’t wait to go back! The food was incredibly flavorful, and the hospitality made it even better.

We started with sambussa, which came with a delicious, spiced dipping sauce (I believe it was awaze). For our main meal, we ordered two veggie combos, which included injera, misir wot (spiced lentils), alicha wot (mild stew), gomen (collard greens), and cabbage, plus a side of alicha potatoes with carrots. Every bite was perfectly seasoned and comforting, and we nearly finished the whole platter! The misir wot was especially incredible. It was all so good that I forgot to take a “before picture” of our food!

I also ordered Ambo water, and the owner was pleasantly surprised I knew about it—she smiled and said, “Ah, you know!” which made me feel like an insider. The Ethiopian coffee was another highlight—served with burning incense, it was rich, bold, and easily the best coffee I’ve ever had.

To top it off, there’s a small shop next door selling Ethiopian spices, groceries, and traditional servingware, which made the experience even more special.

If you love authentic Ethiopian food, this place is a must-visit. Whether you’re new to the cuisine or a longtime fan, Ethio Beans delivers on flavor, tradition, and warm hospitality. Highly recommend!

Nicholas P.

This is my second time having Ethiopian food. The first time was in Chicago so I was pleased to find one in the suburbs. It’s located in a small strip mall. Parking is not a problem. When you enter, there is a restaurant along with a shop next door. Unfortunately, we did not have time to look at the shop. Service started out great. We were greeted and they sat us down. The only reason I took off one star is because the service went downhill towards the end. They took quite a bit of time before they brought us out our to go containers. Quite a bit of time meaning 10 mins or longer. I believed the other tables were also confused by this, but you have to go up to the register to see your bill and pay. They don’t bring you your bill first.

The food itself was great and that would have been 5 stars. Portions were very generous for the prices. Generally, you use your hands to eat. You tear off pieces of the injera and put food into them like a taco. We also got tea that can be shared by two people. I recommend getting either the tea or the coffee. You can really taste the spices in each sip. Unfortunately, after factoring in the faltering service, it brought it down to 4 stars.

-sambussa 5 - big pieces. Outside was crispy. That sauce has a sweet and spicy flavor. The filling inside wasn’t dry or bland. This is a good vegan dish.
-lamb tebes 5 - we got the non spicy and juicy version. Highly recommend getting the juicy version. It was a well balanced meal by itself. Injera is moist and spongy. Nightshades were tasty.
-shekla tibs 4.5 - I liked the presentation, it comes in a clay pot. Lots of well seasoned meat, I think it was cooked well done since it was kind of chewy. I believed the juicy version (medium rare would have been better). It has a good mix of meat and veggies along with the injera. The powder that you can sprinkle onto your food is only slightly spicy.

Jillybilly

We tried the combo plate, coffee and the sambusas. The server asked if we wanted our combo plate spicy and we said "yes" The combo plate arrived and the goat entrees were a little spicy. All the veggies and lentils were not spicy. The coffee was strong and it reminded me of greek coffee. (Without the sludge on the bottom of the cup). We are excited to have great Ethiopian restaurant in the suburbs and we will be back to try their weekend buffet.

Jennifer S.

This is a very nice place to go and sit down to enjoy one another. We enjoyed the food, especially the coffee. The staff were so friendly and the atmosphere felt like we were home with family.

Inaara Z.

The food at this restaurant was absolutely delicious! We tried the combo plate and the sambusas, both of which were fantastic.
Favorites included the doro wot chicken, the beef tepe, and the greens which were bursting with flavor.
I recommend coming by and trying a little of everything like we did to see what you like, there’s a flavor for every palate.
A winning first experience with Ethiopian food!
And the service was wonderful, very friendly people