 This entry refers to a departed business that has closed or left town. All information here is for historical reference only. |
A buffet plate with enjeera (the grey bread), gomen (spinach and such), tofu tibbs (the chili looking stuff), and kit wot (the yellow stuff). Someone, please replace this with a better picture. 
The temporary opening banner.
Was replaced by Zindagi - Indian Bistro
| Location |
| 213 E Street Ste. C, half block down from Chipotle, next to Agave |
| Hours |
| Sun-Thurs 11:30AM-9:30PM or sometimes earlier Fri-Sat 11:00AM-11:00PM. Lunch from 11:30AM-2:30PM daily |
| Phone |
| (530) 758-1079 |
| Website |
| http://www.queenshebas.com/ |
| Owner |
| Zion Taddese |
| Established |
| 2010-07-18 |
| Payment Method |
| Cash, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express |
Queen of Sheba was an Ethiopian restaurant occupying the location where Pita Pit used to reside. The owner, Zion Taddese, also runs Queen Sheba in Sacramento. In a town where Thai restaurants sprout up like weeds, Queen of Sheba may be the first originalish restaurant idea since Kabul Afghan Cuisine. Although the restaurant is gone for now, the owner has considered the possibility of moving and reopening on G Street.
The restaurant offers an all you can eat vegetarian/vegan lunch buffet as well as a normal menu. Menu items are less expensive at lunch than at dinner. There are tons of vegetarian options... even someone who is a total carnivore would be tempted by their veggie dishes. The gomen (that spinach stuff) and tofu tibbs (the chili looking stuff) are particularly tasty. If you're interested in trying Ethiopian wines, Tej (mead), or beer, they have that on the menu, too. They have catering and take-out.
It's good to have a variety of dishes, so if you're ordering off the menu for lunch or dinner, you might consider going with a group or having one of the combos. Combo platters for 1-4 people are available, as well as a vegetarian combo.
Ethiopian food is traditionally eaten by scooping it up in a spongy, slightly sour flat bread called enjeera. Indeed, the food is served on top of enjeera (which soaks up the yummy sauces — Ethiopian food is all about the sauces and their wonderful spices, such as berbere), with extra enjeera on the side. Finger food! If this presents an issue for you, though, they thoughtfully provide utensils. Give it a try with your fingers, though — it's fun!
Despite the fact that they probably have to answer the same things over and over, they will happily answer questions about the food, including really simple ones (like "what's this called?").
Photo of liquor license by BillKendrick 
June 13 update by JonFenske
Older Reviews
Current Reviews
2010-07-18 19:23:34 I talked to the workers yesterday and it opened at 7 PM and today was the offical day that they opened. They are planning to have grand opening on Saturday. The food was awesome just like Sacramento! The wait is finally over, Ethopia has come to Davis!!! —Rodtastic
Ah!! And with me having already eaten dinner! If I'd only known!! —CovertProfessor
2010-07-19 14:55:28 It is now open! Went there the day after opening night. Food was awesome! I love the Queen Sheba in Sacramento and I know I'll be going here often now that there's one in Davis. Do keep in mind that their actual space is very small, and unfortunately, there is limited amount of table space. Also, their AC seemed to not be working quite yet, so it can potentially be a bit stuffy and crowded. Thanks for opening a place here, Zion! —Adalwolf
2010-07-19 21:48:50 I was really excited for this place to open, and it did not disappoint! First thing to notice is that the A/C problems that they apparently had on the second day during lunch were fixed by dinnertime. The restaurant was pleasantly cool on hot Davis evening. I did not find it cramped, either — I guess it depends on what you're used to, but I found it less cramped than, say, Burgers & Brew. I like small-ish (I've also seen smaller), intimate restaurants like this. The decor is also quite nice — good colors with interesting art on the walls. Ok, enough surroundings — the food! was delivered faster than expected (the menu warns you that it might not be fast), by a pleasant waitstaff, and it was *very* good. The flavors in the sauces paired with the enjeera are delightful. We particularly liked the Key Watt (a beef stew), but everything in our combo was good. I look forward to trying other items! —CovertProfessor
2010-07-20 16:55:03 Had the lunch buffet there today. It's vegetarian/vegan, costs $8.99, and there were about eight items. They do also serve a lunch menu for those that need some meat to get through the afternoon. A very nice addition to Davis, and I look forward to returning and trying some of the meat dishes. The air conditioning was working fine. As for the "Queen Sheba"/"Queen of Sheba" debate, I'm not sure they have really settled on it yet. It seems as if it is used interchangeably, with the goal of moving to "Queen of Sheba" for the Davis location. —ScottLay
2010-07-21 19:02:51 we ate lunch here yesterday. delicious of course, just like their sac location, but different in that it was really crowded!! i think this place might be pretty packed most of the time, but it's worth it for their wonderful food! —ShannonSeil
2010-07-21 19:11:00 The buffet was really tasty, my favorite part was the spinach. —NickSchmalenberger
2010-07-22 14:44:00 I thought the buffet was decent, not as spicy or spiced as I would have liked, but basically all of the Ethiopian vegetarian options that I've had before were there. However, after asking the waitress for some hot sauce, she brought the table some berbere which I thought made the food taste fantastic and more authentic. They didn't charge us for it, but I would have been happy if they had. —spencerchang
2010-07-24 17:28:47 This restaurant has big potential to grow in Davis since I know many people like the original Ethiopian foods. However they need to improve • waiting time after ordering food • Change the way they cook Enjera (less gas)! They know what I mean! • Use original Ethiopian recipe to keep its taste and originality as many people know it and like it.
2010-07-24 17:40:58 The food was delicious but the service left a lot to be desired. Will definitely visit again and hope things are running more smoothly on the next visit. —serafina
2010-07-24 20:46:05 Very glad to see something totally different in the Davis restaurant scene, especially one with an abundance of vegetarian options.
The food was delicious, the only complaints I had probably stem from it having just opened, those being:
-slow service, we waited quite a long time to get our bill, even after we asked for it
-food was a bit spicier than any of our party was expecting (when asked how hot the spicy dishes were, the waitress said something along the lines of "no no, nothing is too spicy" but what I think she could have said, would be "if you are sensitive to spicy foods, some might be too spicy for you")
-the air conditioning was too low, I was freezing in a tshirt!
That being said, I'll be coming back in a few weeks or months to try everything else! —KtotheF
2010-07-26 19:59:12 Just went here to pick up take out. When I arrived, my food was not yet ready, and as I was waiting, this older women came in to also pick up her take out. When she received it and looked at it, she discovered the enjeera, and was a bit upset about it because apparently she was allergic to gluten. She had thought that all the dishes were gluten free, which is true, but the enjeera that comes with the dish is obviously not. The waitress working there explained that the dishes all come with enjeera (as it states on the memu), but rice can be substituted as long as you ask for it. At this point, the older women decided that she did not want the dish at all, even though the waitress kindly offered to remove the enjeera or make the dish again (The women ordering wasn't acting rude or anything, she was simply very reactive to gluten and also had to go pick up her grandson, and so could not wait). Instead, she was given her money back full, and when she left, the waitress offered me her order with no extra charge. I think their staff handled the situation quite professionally and I respect their good service. —Adalwolf
Injera is traditionally made from teff flour, which is gluten free, even though injera looks a little like bread. There is some chance that they mixed some wheat flour in with the teff, but you shouldn't assume so, and it doesn't sound like that's the issue here. —Danlawyer
The waitress specifically stated that there was gluten in the injera. —Adalwolf
2010-07-27 15:21:27 Slow service, probably be worked out as time goes on. Great vegetarian options at the buffet. Ordered a side of beef tibbs. Did not like. Overcooked and swimming in oil. The oil was separating and coming to the top of the dish! —tombrokaw
2010-07-27 20:02:35 I had never tried Ethiopian food before and had no idea what to expect it to taste like, so I thought the vegetarian lunch buffet would be the best way to go. I really enjoyed trying the different dishes and thought everything was good. I would recommend trying it if you haven't before, but with an open mind of course, because I found it to be very different from any other cuisine that I have tried before. As for spice, some dishes were quite spicy but went well with the mild ones like the spinach. Dishes from the buffet in addition to the four pictured above were a very spicy tofu/broccoli dish, carrots/potatos, rice, and a cabbage dish. —SRB
2010-07-28 11:51:28 Anyone know if they have their liquor license yet? (I haven't been.) The Ethiopian dark beer Hakim Stout is to die for. —MupDup
2010-07-29 03:25:48 I went here yesterday afternoon with some friends for the novelty of going to an "Ethiopian" restaurant. My friends and I all got the lunch buffet for 8.99 per person. It was not worth 8.99. It is buffet style and all vegetarian. You can order meat on the side, but with the buffet already costing you 8.99 and then ordering a meat dish on the side at roughly 10$ thats a 20$ meal. You're better off going to a sushi buffet or any of the Indian Buffets. To me you pay extra for the ambiance and for the ability of telling people you ate at an Ethiopian place, but i'd rather just lie to people and save the money for the quality of food that was provided. Truth of the matter is i'm sure the non-buffet items might be better, but strictly on the buffet aspect it is not worth going for at all. —JasonKong
2010-08-03 15:21:46 I went there for lunch today and the food was pretty good (spicy chicken - #5, spicy beef -#3 and lentils - #14). Like others said the service is somewhat slow (~ 20 min wait for food), but hopefully they will work out the kinks soon enough. Overall I'd give the food 3.5/5 stars or so. Definitely give a try if you like spicy middle Eastern or Indian food and haven't had Ethiopian food before! —JBN
2010-08-06 15:16:17 I checked this place out with a friend a week ago and was really happy we decided to take the risk to go! It is completely different than anything I've had before (let alone in Davis). We got a red lentil dish and one of the chicken dishes. Both were served family style on a huge platter, with some greens and salad. If you like spicy and a lot of intense flavors you'll like this place. The bread they serve everything with (Injera) is like a sourdough pancake... which some people I understand aren't really used to, but it's worth trying. I love how legit this place it and will definitely come back. —AmberMa
2010-08-07 14:09:52 If you think the service will get better over time, think again. Their Sacramento restaurant is known for being notoriously slow. There was nothing appetizing about the enjeera, even when soaked up with the spices and sauces of the dish. The food is flavorful, but not delicious. The meat is tough, and many dishes taste similar. By the end of the meal you'll feel full, but disappointed. The prices reflect the quantity, not quality of the food. I'm a fan of Indian and Middle Eastern food, but this falls way below the bar. There's plenty of other restaurants which provide more flavorful food. —JCrow
2010-08-07 17:35:08 Biggest caveat and complaint: Extremely slow and sub-par service. There was only one other couple ahead of my party (we were two people as well) and yet the wait for our food was an agonizing 30-40 minutes. On top of the sluggish service the waitress was at times aloof or MIA. Seriously, she would disappear into the backroom for long stretches and never once came back to refill our waters. Even getting our orders filled was a chore. Despite staring at the menu for well over 10 minutes the waitress never once came to inquire if we were ready to order. Instead, we had to flag her down, which was a challenge itself. Needless to say, getting the bill was a careful balance of nerves as we were forced to whittle away more precious time awaiting her return from god only knows where. This was not a busy lunch service so I cringe to imagine the hordes of disgruntled famished diners spacing away to the Ethiopian music during a busier dinner service. If "Queen of Sheba" ever hopes to succeed, it desperately needs to improve its service; both the time for food to come out and the overall service.
On matters of taste, it's solid. Whether or not this is authentic is a matter I cannot discuss, but on the taste scale "Sheba" serves flavorful, average quality food. Those sensitive to spices may find some dishes overwhelming. I can't say there was anything memorable about the food other than the really social aspect of it. You don't all have to eat off one plate but why not? The idea of a group feasting off one platter and thus becoming more intimate seems like such a simple concept yet here it is occupying a niche in ethnic dining! Overall, food was enjoyable if not lackluster.
Prices are higher than most places. A typical lunch entrée will set you back around $9.00. Alternatively you could opt for the completely vegetarian buffet with the option of ordering meat dishes a la carte for around $3.00 each. Until speed is improved I can't say I will return. —blastoff
2010-08-12 18:08:07 I went there last night for dinner with my girlfriend and it was great, perhaps the best place in town. Although we got sidetracked and weren't able to make the lunch buffet, the dinner combination platter was nothing short of excellence. Yes, the wait to get food was not swift, however it was not bad. The help was working hard and made sure everyone was happy. It was obvious that they were getting stretched thin as all of the seats were full and the waitresses constantly had their hands full. I see Queen of Sheba becoming a future Davis classic; the food is great and they are full on weekdays even with the college not in session! On a side note, half of the food is similar authentic mexican food. —Edward
2010-08-12 21:27:58 I cannot help but leave a note about the complaints over service. I grew up in Philadelphia, where there is a dearth of Ethiopian restaurants. It was very common to wait 30, 40, sometimes 60 minutes for your food. It was always delicious once you got it, but no one was ever in a hurry to get it to you. I'm not saying this excuses the wait, but I would say that it's typical of Ethiopian restaurants in general and therefore not exceptional. —BrianPakpour
2010-08-14 13:38:55 Absolutely delicious! I am so glad to have a new restaurant in Davis that brings a NEW cuisine. The service is super friendly. My friend and I shared a platter for two and had trouble finishing it - lots of food! The red lentils and lamb and collard greens were all delicious and interesting. Highly recommended! —Ratatat
2010-08-14 20:27:07 All you have to do to not worry about the service is get the buffet. In my opinion, the buffet was fantastic. The food was delicious and not heavy at all. I don't know where else in Davis you can get a meal that is this healthy and tasty at the same time. While the service was somewhat disorganized, the service people are really nice. When nice people serve great food at a decent price, I'm not going to gripe about the service. —GregKuperberg
2010-08-19 15:20:17 I haven't been by the Davis location yet, but I LOVE the Sacramento location! The food is simple and I think the quality is on par with what it is priced at. Especially for the lunch buffet. Get used to the long wait times though. Every Ethiopian place I have been to (Sacramento, Berkeley, Bay area) are molasses in winter slow. Knowing this I don't ever go there if I am in a hurry, if you don't expect fast service then you don't get all put out and grumpy. The honey wine paired with some of the spicier dishes is fantastic and I could eat gommen and ingeera all day long. Thanks for coming to Davis! —katedanger
2010-08-19 22:54:44 Having never eaten Ethiopian food before, we were *cough* surprised *cough* with the bread. It's different, tastes quite sour and vinegary and may be unpleasant until you get used to it. All of the courses were delicious once we got over the taste of the bread. —JimStewart
2010-08-20 01:13:34 I went yesterday with a couple of friends. I was really excited to try out the new restaurant since it was so different what all the other places in Davis. I didnt like this place at ALL. The food was dry (even when ive been told Ethiopian food is moist and flavorful), it lacked any flavors (I think they didnt add enough seasonings) and the smells in the restaurant gave me a headache. My friend had a vegetarian dish too and it was flavorless as well. It was also a little over prices for what they gave us....Def NEVER GOING BACK...The two waitresses were nice :) —SandraDeLaMora
2010-08-20 22:03:13 went here tonight with my husband and another couple and had the combo platter for 4 people. We had a great expereince overall. The food was good, the service was very friendly and I was pleasantly surprised when the service was not as slow as I expected. The only complaint I have is that the cokes we ordered were flat and when we asked if we could have fizzy coke they said the machine was broken...my husband really enjoyed the Hakim Stout. Would reccommend this place to friends atleast for a try! —jsbmeb
2010-08-23 14:38:51 I do not have experience with Ethiopian food, But I do enjoy eating, and I didn't care for it. I am a fan of all types of ethnic food. I tried the buffet and (maybe that was the reason). I like buffets in that I can try different dishes and then go back and order what I like. Unfortunately I didn't like anything. I was so looking forward to it because of the great reviews. —ashleyinthemist
2010-08-28 21:41:01 I was super excited when I learned that Ethiopian food would be available in Davis. Overall the buffet food was tasty. However, I went with my girlfriend who is a vegetarian and we asked the waiter if everything in the buffet was meat free. He assured us that there was no meat in the buffet. I asked him one more time because one of the dishes looked meaty, but he said it was tofu. It was NOT tofu but a piece of fish (we could see the skin on the fish). —LoverOfFood
2010-08-29 23:57:06 I went here tonight for dinner with my family. Having only had Ethiopian food once before many many years ago I had an idea of type of food to expect (the bread stuff) but not much else. It seemed rather quite when we entered but that's fine I like the cozy atmosphere. As for the service I'm not sure where some of the other reviewers thought it was slow but we were greeted immediately as we entered and and ordered the combo platter for all of of. If you don't know what your doing there (as we did) I would suggest going this route. The food was brought out posthaste and not once did I think man I wish they would hurry up. That being said we devoured all of it within minutes of it being brought out like animals. We all thought the food was excellent. My dad and brother ordered the fresh mango juice, maybe it's just me but I think I like mango more as a fruit than as a juice. Oh one other thing. My mom forgot her purse in there, and one of the incredibly nice ladies working there somehow managed to track us down across the street in baskin robbins to return it to her. If that's not service I don't know what is. Keep up the good work. It's nice to finally see some more ethnic type restaurants popping up around town. Good riddance to the pita pit. This place fills the shoes better than they ever could. Now if they would only include meat dishes in the lunch buffet... —metalhead15
Visited for the first time today and ate the Kitfo (with cooked meat, not raw... who wants to risk that with beef??). Tasted great. Seemed well prepared and was an interesting switch from the normal Davis fare. Glad to see something other than Thai, Sushi, or Chinese in town. I would say at least give this place a shot if you have not already done so. — Wes-P
2010-09-01 19:02:44 I was really excited to try this place last night. My friend and I got there at 9:25pm, and we seemed to have surprised the workers when we went in. They all looked at me and then at each other, and after an awkward moment, one of them told me that the kitchen is closed. Are the hours listed here not correct? —JLao
- Well, the wiki's info is only as good as the info from people who edit it, so the thing to do would be to ask them and then to edit the table above if the hours are wrong. However, Q of S may be one of those places that closes its kitchen once people stop coming in — and if that is the case, that would be a good thing to note at the top of the page, too. —CovertProfessor
2010-09-14 19:05:17 I came here the other night with my friends because we wanted to try something new in Davis and had recently heard of this restaurant's opening. We arrived for dinner around 8pm and it was somewhat busy. After being seated, the waiter came up to us with a tray of water and as he was placing it down on the table, he knocked over the cups and spilled it onto the table and my friend. We moved to a different table and after placing our order, a waitress came out of the kitchen with some food and slipped on the floor, dropping the food and herself onto the floor. Perhaps the floor was not completely dry or was just slippery. When we finally received our food, it came out in a big tray with a basket of enjeera. This was the first time that most of us had ever eaten Ethiopian food and overall, it was ok. We had ordered the combo platter and the lamb was quite tasty. The rest was so-so. My biggest complaint would be that the portions were too small for the amount you paid, but I'm glad I at least tried it. Not sure I'll be going back though. —HeartAlong
2010-09-15 18:04:37 Delicious. Treat this place like Farmer's Kitchen Cafe and go when you want to enjoy the company of your companions over a leisurely meal, and you won't get frazzled by the service. It's not fast food - it's delicious food made for savoring.
We've been there twice. I wholeheartedly recommend this place if you've had Ethiopian food before. If you've not had Ethiopian food, get a seasoned friend to go with you. It's not necessary to enjoy the food, but some people get more out of a new experience if they have some social cues about what to expect and how to react. There's a social nature to this place, so just give in and take it for what it is.
Regarding portion size: Our server recommended the 3-person special for our party of 4, which was both considerate and accurate. It was plenty. It was also plenty when we ordered the 1-person for our party of 2. This made the meal really economical (and made me wish we'd also sprung for the honey wine). —JoRo
2010-09-16 21:27:49 Excellent place! Love the group platters and the Ethiopian wine is fantastic! —Barley123
2010-09-19 20:20:04 The food here is soooo good! The service was excellent, very attentive and kind. If you are allergic to wheat they will even make black tef injera (which is wheat free) as long as you call in the morning to let them know you will be there for dinner. I highly recommend the restaurant and am happy to support this business. —Neda
2010-09-25 23:39:02 Finally got to try Queen of Sheba with my partner a few nights ago. We live close-by so opted to order 2 veggie specials for take out. I am a veteran with Ethiopian sort of because I used to live just blocks from little Ethiopia in LA, and I was pleasantly surprised by what we got! Heaping portions which were very well flavored. My one complaint... as I gobbled my food I suddenly realized that it was VERY VERY salty. I love everything to be over-salted, but this is a bit excessive even for me. A few minutes later my partner remarked the same thing. Other than that, I think it's very good and a great addition to the downtown food scene. Also would note that the staff all seem lovely and were very friendly when I came in even though they were trying to close down. —soledad101
2010-09-26 17:07:41 A lot of people have commented on the "slow service." If you have ever eaten at an Ethiopian place before, this is pretty typical. The idea is to have a relaxed, conversational meal. If you are interested in a quick dinner, this is not the place for you. —Kipusa
2010-09-27 07:57:03 I'm going tomorrow! SO EXCITED! —ArianeMetz
2010-09-29 21:22:47 I'm not familiar with Ethiopian food, but I thought I'd give this place a try. I ordered the number 1 chicken dish (can't remember exactly what it was called), and my boyfriend ordered the beef tibbs. I absolutely did not like mine, however, my boyfriends was pretty good. The injera was different from anything I've ever ate before, and it took a little getting used to, and was much better when completely soaked in sauces. I really wanted to like this place because the older lady (the owner I think), was extremely nice and even offered me more of the beef dish when she noticed I wasn't eating mine, but I think this is definitely one of those places you should only eat at with someone who knows what they are ordering. The wait to get the food was a little longer than the average wait time at a regular restaurant, but it even states on the menu that the foods take awhile to make. —jwieland1989
2010-10-07 23:47:32 Delicious!!! and spicy :) —NorCalFoodLover
2010-10-21 15:43:23 My boyfriend and I ate here for lunch, and I'm really glad we did! Neither of us have had Ethiopian food before but it was really delicious. The two female servers were really nice and we had no problems getting our water filled, etc. We ordered the lamb tibbs and the chicken tibbs (?) [numbers 2 & 10]. My boyfriend thought the lamb was a bit salty, but I didn't think so. We had the dishes served "family style" which is on a large metal plate for all to share. The dishes came in very large portions and were moist and spiced well. Wasn't "spicy" as in hot, but as in flavorful. The enjeera was weird at first, it has a really spongy mouth-feel, but it's really good once you get used to it. It was a little like sourdough and was even better when soaked in the sauces. We couldn't finish our dishes and agreed that one dish probably would have been enough for the two of us. We finished our meal with a slice of sweet potato pie, which was DE-LI-CIOUS, to say the least!! My only complaint would be that the service was a bit slow. The food came out to us in a reasonable time (there were only two/three other tables filled) but the bill took forever. My boyfriend had to get to class and left before I did. I sat there waiting for about 5 minutes after he left and finally just went up to the register to pay.
We will definitely be coming back! —KaprilWooley
2010-11-03 13:11:57 Finally had a chance to go here. The food and service were wonderful. Didn't know what to expect and I was very pleased with the selection as recommended by our server. We had a great chat with the owner as well. I will be back. —LokiAbbi
2010-11-03 20:11:20 My boyfriend and I went to dinner here tonight. The service was pretty good, and we got our food very quickly. He got the Beef Tibbs which he couldn't eat half of the meat because it was very low quality meat that was full of fat. I got the Kit Wot, which I think they mixed up my order because I think it was supposed to be yellow as in the picture above, but it ended up being more like what the tofu tibbs in the picture looks like, minus the tofu. It was pretty good, good flavor. My only complaint is that I think there wasn't any variation in flavor with the dish since it was just one chili-type dish. I think it would have been better with some vegetables mixed in, but I'm looking forward to mixing in a bit more variation with vegetables with my leftovers! —LaurenWDavis
I took the picture above and I might be wrong about the identification. I served myself from the lunch buffet and tried my best to remember what was what. —WilliamLewis
2010-11-08 13:12:26 I tried the lunch buffet, and it was great! Maybe a little salty, but otherwise I enjoyed everything and will definitely be back. —Linda
2010-11-17 12:23:11 I just went there today for the lunch buffet, and was disappointed. They only offered 6 items, and of what was there, only 2-3 items were good. Also, the correct price for the buffet is $8.99, and not $7.50 as stated on their website. Although the 2-3 lentil dishes were good, they were only good compared to what else was served and were definitely not good enough to pay the $9/person for the buffet. For that price I'd expect more variety. Other buffets in town offer better selection for around the same price. —MattStovall
2010-12-09 00:19:03 Just a heads up: I tried this place and thought the food was ok, but it made my friend and I sick for a couple days. I don't plan on returning... —Whit
2011-01-09 14:11:53 I've eaten here twice and thought it was delicious, fast and inexpensive both times. Love this place! —AnaApostol
2011-01-24 12:36:13 I enjoyed the lunch buffet fairly recently. It was delicious and different from anything else I have had in Davis. —tneeley
2011-03-27 22:42:01 Came to Sheeba twice in the past year. I like the unique dinning experience this place offers. The food is decent and I esp like that you have to use your hands to wrap the meat with the sponge bread. I think I like it because it's out of the norm and everyone should try it just to try it. —C.Ling
"2011-04-22 18:52:17" I came here on picnic day because my parents were visiting- I liked the food, personally. I especially enjoyed the lamb tibbs. Service was very nice, and everything tasted good, and portions were big enough that four dishes fed four people (which says a lot considering 2 of the 4 people can usually put down a lot of food). I didn't find any inedible food in my beef tibbs, though I could see how things like that may very from plate to plate. If you're a picky eater, I definitely recommend this place- Ethiopian food may sound weird, but it's definitely not. —AndrewJacobs
2011-04-30 10:50:20 I came here once with my boyfriend. We did not get the buffet but ordered items off the menu. The food was fresh and delicious, and our server was super nice. I got a coffee and it was outstanding, really strong and rich. I really recommend this place if you want to try something different, it's a cool experience and you won't be disappointed. —AbigaleMoody
2011-04-30 18:10:05 why is there a used bandage on the plate in that picture? :P —MichaelNielsen
Because I was a n00b when I took that picture and didn't know what to do with the enjeera. Basically, you can do better. So do it. —The dude who took the picture
Well, actually, the fact that it looks like bandage makes me curious to try that restaurant before I leave Davis :)
Is it very spicy, the food (in the wanna-call-the-fire-fighters way)? (I consider mariachi's "mild" salsas hot)
Maybe there are dishes that can be ordered that way, but I don't recall anything especially spicy there. It's definitely not thai spicy. The restaurant is definitely worth checking out, though. The lunch buffet is a steal for what it is.
The stuff that looks like a bandage (yuck) is actually a very tasty, spongy bread, a bit sour, in the way that sour dough bread is sour. You tear off a piece of it and use it to pick up the food, without utensils. The bread (enjeera) is not spicy at all, but some of the food can be spicy, depending on what you order. And of course, if you like spicy, you can ask for spicy; if you don't, ask for mild. —CovertProfessor
2011-05-26 00:45:19 I've spent time in Ethiopia and I love the food here at Queen of Sheba. It is extremely similar to what I ate daily in Ethiopia and I come back all the time! —MacC
2011-06-23 21:41:10 The food is awesome!!! But their service???!! That is what moved me to write a review today.
I went in today and ordered a Combo B, two sambussas, and a side of rice. The price was $20.12 and I thought I had 12 cents but I didn't, so I was going to have the cashier break another twenty and she said, No, I'll get that for you. Wow! Thanks!
Then, she offered me some ice water while I waited. It was in the upper 90s outside so, again, THANKS!
THEN, the cook in the back said they were out of rice (a side of rice is like $1.99 or something) and the cashier asked if I wanted something else. So I chose a vegetarian side (which is normally like $2.30 or something) and pull out my wallet to pay the difference. Again, the cashier waved it off. Thanks again!!
Then, when the food came (within 7-10 minutes), she offered to pour my ice water into a to go cup (outside temperature: still inferno status). Thanks, cashier lady! You're awesome!!!!
Long story short, the food is awesome, that lady was super awesome, and this place deserves copious amounts of business. I felt compelled to write a review after reading a bunch of crappy reviews of the service at some of Davis' "finer" establishments and thought this deserved some props. —ttl
2011-06-25 01:15:44 Sonofabitch, I just lost the review I wrote up.
I'm going to be more brief this time around. My wife and I went here tonight for a later dinner. It was my first experience with Ethiopian, her second. We got the combo plate for 2 people and a bottle of their "medium dry" red wine. Everything was excellent. The vinegar taste in the beef "stew" dish left a slightly overwhelming aftertaste, but the other 4 dishes on the platter were truly delicious.
I've heard from friends who've had a fair amount of Ethiopian that this place is unusually greasy. Moreso than the Sac location, as well as other restaurants. I can't speak to that, but I will say that this was a fantastic meal. It was somewhat greasy, but not offputting, and it didn't detract from the taste.
If you're not an adventurous diner, this isn't the place to you. I love trying new food and new flavors, and some of what I had tonight was surprising in its intensity. It's definitely pushing the palate more than, say, Indian food (which I'm still trying to get the in-laws to try... they don't know what they're missing). While I think just about anyone out there would love well prepared Indian food, I'd say that Ethiopian might be a little overwhelming to some folks, even when well prepared. That said, if you are an adventurous diner, give it a try. It's really, really good. —TomGarberson
2011-07-29 18:59:10 the food here was really good! everyone should come here, since these earlier reviews were written, the AC has been fixed since it was working totally fine today. and the service was great. we had ordered the combo platter for 4 and when we asked them what the name of the beef sauce we really liked was, and we had already finished all of it, they went out of their way to find out what it was and then they also gave us another bowl of it. awesome place! —abui3
2011-07-30 09:54:27 My 20-year old daughter is a world traveler and she always loves to try new cuisine. Yesterday, we went to Queen of Sheba in Davis to try Ethiopian food for the first time. Her friends, a couple of vet students from UC Davis, strongly recommend this restaurant. The minute we walked into the restaurant, we were embraced by a wonderful aroma of different blend of spices. The server was a very sweet, polite young man who quickly handed to us the menu. We ordered the sample dish for family which included pretty everything on the menu and everything was delicious especially the beef in a mild spicy red sauce. When we asked the server what that dish was so next time we can order that dish specifically, the cook came out and told us the name, Key Wat, I believe. Then she proceeded to bring out another bowl of this dish extra just for us. What a nice and generous gesture!!! I was completely taken by pleasant surprise of how rich, complex, intricate Ethiopian food is. They use chicken, beef, lamb, fish and tons of fresh vegetables. The sauces are spicy, lightly sweet and nicely spiced. The bread is light, thin, chewy and slightly sour so it is perfect to soak up all the wonderful sauces. We also ordered their honey wine and mango drink. Delicious!!! The service was quick, warm and professional. The restaurant is small, cozy and very clean. We strongly recommend this restaurant to anyone who would like to try a new exotic cuisine. I can't wait to go back there again. By the way, it is very easy to find, just a couple of stores down from Chipotle's. It was a wonderful experience. —TienBui
2011-08-16 11:42:30 The food is interesting and new (never had Ethiopian cuisine before!) - I had their lunch buffet but I do wish they had more variety of foods for it, or even some dessert foods (even fruit salad or something would be ok), and I do wish they labeled the dishes...I'm a bit surprised at the lunch price though, as they offer a pure vegetarian/vegan buffet but charge as much (or more) than a different restaurant that offers both meat and vegetarian options. Veggies and spices are cheaper than meat generally, no? —Ravyn
2011-08-22 08:15:57 Tried this restaurant a few months ago and had a great time. I had never had Ethiopian food before and did not know what to expect except that hands were the way to go! All the veggies and beans through me off when I read the menu but when I tried it I loved it! Great flavors and was definitely a different experience from other restaurants. —KurtG
2011-09-01 16:09:36 An anonymous source told me they are closing down. (or it may have already happened) —NikhilDahal
- That would be very, very sad. :( They are definitely open tonight (Sept 1, 2011), and with students coming back into town, I hope they stick it out. —CovertProfessor
- More: They say they are closing tomorrow (Sept 2, 2011), but hope to re-open on G Street. —cp
- They better re-open before my Groupon expires! -MeggoWaffle
2011-11-22 15:50:02 THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW LOCATION IN DAVIS! The old one was too small! I spoke to them at the Sac location. We love this place! Can't wait for them to reopen!!! —StephHolm
- Woo-hoo!!! Good news!!! —CovertProfessor
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