It's one of a kind
Asmara is great. The place is relaxing and charming. The food is amazing and fun because you eat with your fingers. I've never eaten something with so much great flavor. Asmara is wonderful and the staff are very kind and helpful in assisting customers with the entrees. The spicy lamb in some sort of great veggie was incredible, and the potato salad appetizer was also wonderful. Try the tea as well, it's a great finish with a desert.
Recommended: The meat combo
Food: 10
Service: 8
Ambiance: 8
Overall: 8

Great: Been going for years
I've been going to Asmara for about 15 years. It is a mom and pop shop, so when they get backed up you may wait a few minutes for a check. That is kind of the charm - kind of like dining in Greece: one of the things on the menu is relaxation. The food is consistently good and I've never had any of the problems attributed by other reviewers. They have veggie combo plates and meat combo plates if you want to test a number of different dishes. Good way to start. The spiced stuffed tomatoes are a great appetizer. Get the Asmara tea with steamed milk, a nice complement to the spiciness of the food.
Recommended: For two people, get the veggie combo and the meat combo - it'll give you a taste of a half dozen dishes.
Food: 8
Service: 6
Ambiance: 10
Overall: 8
- Norwood

AWFUL
For a dinner plate they charged us $75 for 5 people. Beer was $7. A piece of cake was $7! Unbelievable. The prices they quoted was not even on the menu as they CLAIM that the beer was imported specially from Ethiopia and the cake was imported from Italy - AS IF?! So apparently they were "market price." They even had two menus with different prices. I would definitely AVOID going there - you don't know how much they will charge you.
Food: 6
Service: 2
Overall: 2

Great
Every time I visit the state, it is a must that I visit Asmara. My favorites include the kale and the ricotta with awaze, but everything is delicious. Go with a bunch of friends so that you can try a bigger cross-section of dishes. Be prepared to eat with your hands and share your meal with all.
Food: 10
Service: 8
Ambiance: 6
Overall: 10

Not so great.
The basket-woven tables and injera (flatbread) lined plates made eating here a bit of an adventure, but the food wasn't that great, especially for the price. Some of the dishes are just permutations of other dishes (you can get chicken with yellow sauce and bread, or you can get just bread soaked in yellow sauce), which made it hard to find new dishes to try. And at about $12 an entree, it wasn't cheap enough for this poor starving college student.
Recommended: sirloin tips in spiced butter with onions and green peppers
Food: 4
Service: 6
Ambiance: 6
Overall: 4