ESKCOBAR — Restaurant in Kansas City

LIARS AND CHEATS. I am going to be generous and give two stars because the flavor of the food was very good. However, that being said, I would NEVER return to Awaze because they are dishonest cheats and I have never been so disgusted with a restaurant in all my life. We went for lunch at a little after 2pm and ordered the Caribbean goat and the Ethiopian lamb dishes. Like I said, the flavor of the food was very good, even though the bowl of goat was 3/4 bones and fat and there was very little meat. That was the first disappointment. The kicker was that on the menu there were lunch prices and dinner prices and since we got there a little after 2pm we obviously were there for lunch. The lunch prices were $11 and $12 respectively. When we got the bill we had been charged the dinner prices of $16 and $18. When I questioned the server she stated that they no longer served lunch, but had not gotten around to changing their menus yet. When I told her that was not my fault and that she should honor the lunch prices that were on the menus we were given she said that "even if we did serve lunch, we stopped serving it at 2pm". I was appalled! I have never heard of any restaurant serving dinner before 4pm, but for a business to have the nerve to give you a menu with false prices and then change the bill at the end is just downright dishonest and a cheat. I have never been so angry with an eating establishment in my life. If it were some four star place, I might have considered it, although a four star place would never treat their patrons that way, but the decor in this place consists of spray painted squiggly lines in red, green and yellow (rasta colors) and the bathroom was pitiful, I would not even use it. The service was also incredibly slow. This being said, if you want to go to this place be aware that they are liars and cheats and...

Having just discovered Awaze on a restaurant website and being a big fan of Ethiopian food, we were eager to try it out. As soon as we walked in the door the ambiance was set to inviting and personable. We were promptly served by the manager Alisa and offered up samples of their juice combinations of the day and received recommendations for tailored alcoholic beverages made from them. These were true craft beverages made not only with quality ingredients but designed by someone with a extensive working knowledge of how multiple flavors can converse with one another when properly mixed. Alisa was not only friendly and knowledgeable of all there is to know about the cuisine and establishment, but also conveyed a true and sincere desire to be a part of the Awaze team. This is not something that is easily faked, and consistently results in the highest of attention to detail when the people clearly enjoy what they do. She explained how much of the cuisine was “Ethiopian reworked with Caribbean influences,” which in this case proved to be the best of both cuisines.

The food arrived promptly and in generous quantities. The seasoning was on precise and the meats well prepared. The vegetarian dishes could carry the work of the meat dishes, and were filling, substantial and delicious. As business picked up we asked to send our highest compliments to the chef. Chef Pablo came out to the dining room to meet us and ask us about our experience, which we informed him were of the highest caliber. The food was prepared to such high standards, and with such a creative marriage between the Ethiopian and Caribbean styles that we asked for business cards to pass out when we told them that they have certainly earned some...

I've been hitting Awaze for a while now and have become a dedicated lunch regular. This place rocks! I've been all over the menu and have yet to find something that isn't absolutely amazing. My go to is usually the Doro Wat but the Key Wat and Doro Tibbs are also amazing. The only thing I regret is that I haven't made it through much of the Caribbean side on the menu.

The sambusas are excellent, they have a crisp thin shell and are filled with a really great mix of ingredients. All the sides are wonderful, the only thing I'm not too fond of is the Gomen because it is a little bitter from the collard greens, but that is a taste preference, not an issue with the chef. The Atkilt is my favorite veggie on the menu and the fried plantains are a great way to end the meal, sweet with a bit of that burnt sugar taste. This is a great place for vegan and vegetarian dishes as well.

Awaze is also one of the few places that I've been able to find honey wine. It is a sweet wine, which... in fact... tastes like honey.

Often times it is a one man show behind the scenes. From what I've heard Awaze is still under newish management and may still be trying to secure a solid waitstaff. The food will more than makeup for it. I've also found the best value is when you have 2 or more people sharing one of the...