Makye Ame (Maji Ami) Restaurant Lhasa, Tibet

Makye Ame (Maji Ami) Restaurant is located at the famous Barkhor street, just 10 minutes walking away from Jokhang Temple.

“Makye Ame” means “unmarried pretty girl” in Tibetan. The establishment of the three-story restaurant in 1997 was inspired by a beautiful story relating to the sixth Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso.

After taking a seat at a table on the second floor of the restaurant, You can read a story on the first page of the menu.read a story on the first page of the menu.

The story began with poetic lines: “Rising from the highest mountaintop/ is the bright and glamorous moon/ It reminds me of the smile of Makye Ame/ which shines in the depths of my heart.”

The poem was said to have been written by Tsangyang Gyatso, who caught sight of a stunningly beautiful girl after stealing out of Potala Palace one evening and drinking at a wine shop at the Barkhor Bazaar.

Later, he returned in disguise to the shop several times, but never saw the girl again.

Today, nobody knows for sure whether the story is true or not. But the wine shop, which the sixth Dalai Lama is said to have frequented, has become famous with travelers to Tibet from home and abroad.

Makye Ame (Maji Ami) Restaurant, this ethnic theme restaurant combines a folk cabaret with decent but pricey food and surprisingly enjoyable decor. Paper lamps glow in the corners, grimacing wooden masks stare down from the beams, and traditional furniture lends color to the dimly lit room. Fare is "Tibetan" -- yak and mutton with gourmet accents. Recommended dishes include tashi-delek (beef braised in brown sauce with carrots, cheese, and yak marrow) and the chicken with corn and juoma (a vegetable reminiscent of black bean from the Tibetan plateau). Tibetan-style nan is good for sopping up sauces. The English menu features several grain spirits, mixed with yogurt and served in silver goblets. Nightly shows start at 8pm.

Addresss: Barkhor street, Lhasa, Tibet
Admission Fee:
Opening Hours: 10:00 - 22:00
Recommending Time for a Visit: 2 hour
Transportation:
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