1414 9th St NW

This was my first Ethiopian food experience. I loved the spice and flavors. The service was fantastic. I hope to find a place in my area to have Ethiopian food again. Thank you!

Tasty ethiopian food! Service was awesome and attentive, food came relatively quickly (we were grabbing a quick bite to eat in the middle of our day at a book convention). Cozy interior, although nothing stand-out (good or bad) about it. Food was flavorful and super yum, came on an injera with more on the side if needed (they gave us more than enough for our entrée imo, we def had some leftover). Loved the side salad, since the meal might have felt a bit one-dimensional without it. Overall, would 1000% come here again!

Absolutely delicious food. We ordered a meat and veggie platter for 5 people which wasn't quite enough, so we ended up ordering one more platter. Portions were generous and everything was so flavorful. We arrived around 6pm on a Saturday and were able to be seated immediately, however this place is small and can get busy - a line started building quickly after 6:30pm. Service was good, the food took a little while to be brought out, but it was a busy night.

Came here for dinner on a whim last night and had an amazing experience! We split the meat and veggie combo, which allows you to pick your 4 veggie options. We opted for beets, cabbage, chickpeas, and collards. The platter also comes with a salad, and 4 pre-set meat options. It was a ton of food and everything was delicious! They brought out baskets of injera for each of us and I was stuffed by the time we left. Our server was the sweetest and made sure my water glass was never empty and always had a smile on her face.

We went on a Wednesday. It was busy and severely understaffed. The food was good. No silverware we ate with a basket of spongy bread used to pick up pieces of our dinner. I liked the spicy lamb best. The beef was also good, the salads had cut up jalapeño and everything was pretty spicy. There was also homemade cottage cheese.

I am a lover of Ethiopian food and I like the vibe of this place. The location is great, the service was good.The food was hot and had great flavor. There was nothing I thought that was less than 5-stars. I have read reviews about the price of this place, and it was a little more expensive than I expected but I feel like thats the nature of the world we live in these days with rising prices everywhere.

This is an affordable and tasty spot. Cozy ambiance with a main floor and upstairs. We sat in the main floor. The lighting is dim for a comfy feel. We ordered Sam bisas and a family platter along with coffee for four people and we were all full at the end. The staff were speedy with getting us our food.

The food here was amazing! Such a great vegetarian platter with flavorful small dishes. The service was also great and attentive. The decorations inside were also solid.

We were in D.C. for a few days and were craving Ethiopian and went here based on the strength of its reviews. We were not disappointed. I asked for my beef Awaze Tibs extra spicy and it came out nice and fiery. The wife got the vegetarian sampler which was tasty. Portion sizes were huge and filling. Service was simple and adequate. The space is cozy and pleasant but not over the top. Would definitely recommend.

Charming and delicious! What a wonderful combination. I was dining alone and found myself at this lovely Ethiopian restaurant near the convention center. It's a cozy but inviting atmosphere and the food is so wonderful. As a vegetarian, Ethiopian is always a great choice and the large sample platter, served with injera and salad, did not disappoint. The employees were so warm friendly and welcoming, which actually found its way to the diners who were sharing recommendations and commenting on their meals. The meat dishes also appeared to be high quality with the tibs coming out sizzling hot off the grill, to the delight of the carnivores. If you have never tired Ethiopian, this would be an excellent choice to broaden your horizons. You'll be a fan for life.

Great good with a ton of flavor. huge portions that are more than enough to share with people. fast service and casual vibes. a great friend dinner

We picked this place because Yelp and Google both listed it as wheelchair accessible, but that is unfortunately VERY incorrect. There are about 4-5 steps to get in the front door, and there's a small amount of seating on that floor, along with one restroom (not accessible, very small space). The rest of the seating is up a long and narrow flight of stairs. Thankfully, the staff was very accommodating and managed to get us seated in a two-top that was just finishing up on the main floor. It was a little cramped with three people, but it worked out ok. Service was also quite slow, both to get our order in as well as to get our food. It was nearly an hour from the time we sat down to the time we got our dinner. Once we had our drinks, though, it wasn't too bad, as we were able to enjoy conversation and a beverage while we waited. The food was *excellent*. We got the family veggie and meat special platter with misser wot, kik alicha, gomen, and shiro wot as our vegetarian options. The lega tibs were out of this world. The kay wot only had a couple tiny scraps of meat and the egg was overcooked, but the wot itself was seasoned so wonderfully, we didn't even mind that much. My husband and I do a fair bit of Eritrean cooking at home, and everything was seasoned as we expected, not tamed for an American palette like so many places do. The amount of injera provided for such a large platter was a bit skimpy, basically two full pieces. All in all, I'm still giving this a 4* because the staff was so incredibly nice and accommodating, and the food was so delicious. My mum had never had Ethiopian food, and this was still a good first experience, once we managed to get seated and get food.

This place was so yummy! This was the first time I have ever had Ethiopian food. We loved it! The spices were fresh and unlike anything I have ever had. The food unlocked a new cuisine that transformed us into a new world.

I had Ethiopian cuisine on my bucket list for real long time, but since I couldn't find much time to visit any Ethiopian restaurant in New York city, I decided to go ahead with the one in Washington DC! Initially, I was a bit hesitant to order the meat dishes since my last adventure with African cuisine wasn't a great one. Glad that Ethiopians have a good amount of vegetables in their diet which helped me make a safe and easy choice to go with! I went ahead with their traditional veggie platter, which consisted of 2 vegetables, 2 lentil dishes and a salad served over Injera( basically the Ethiopian version of dosa: An Indian dish and a much softer one instead of crispy). The vegetables served were cluster beans along with cabbage and potato. The cluster beans felt right out of my home kitchen whereas the potato was undercooked in the cabbage one! The two lentil dishes served out of which one was the spicy one and the other not spicy. I loved both of them. Honestly, I never thought it would be so close to traditional Indian cuisine as a result I also let the server know the same. The server was pretty friendly and was happy to guide me through their menu while providing quick service. The restaurant though feels like a homely vibe with close seating and the ambiance being that of a family home. Overall, an amazing experience for me with interesting thing being it felt like having a home cooked meal rather than eating at a restaurant!

DC is known for its Ethiopian food, so the competition is steep. In my opinion, the flavors and taste of the food here is pretty mediocre. It tastes rather bland compared to other places I've gone to in DC. I would give them the benefit of the doubt and say it's what we ordered, but considering we ordered the meat and veggie combo platter, I imagine they would have given us the best of the best of what they had to offer. I will say the food overall was decent just not amazing. We definitely had a good variety of items although the quantity for each was not very hearty. It was still plenty of food for my two friends and me to share; we still had leftovers. Also, they gave us a generous amount of extra injera. The service was great, and the people were friendly. It has a pretty casual vibe, which worked well for us. Overall, I probably would choose other Ethiopian restaurants in the area over this one, but this will work in a pinch. The one other good thing is that it is easy on the wallet (though there are other places that are more affordable) and a convenient walk from the convention center.

We are new to Ethiopian Cuisine and never knew how delicious it is. The service here is absolutely the friendliness and very helpful in explaining the menu items since we had no familiarity with Ethiopian food. We thoroughly enjoyed the Family Vegetarian Special and we cannot wait until our next dining experience here when we return. Just wonderful!!!

My friends and I are hoping to try different Ethiopian restaurants in the city and saw that Family had good reviews. We stopped by for dinner this past Monday evening. The service was good and the food came out relatively quickly (less than 20 minutes), but similar to what someone else mentioned, the portion size is small here. We ordered the FAMILY MEAT & VEGGIE SPECIAL but ended up not getting any veggies. Pretty sure we got the meat special, so I'll just write my review on that. FAMILY MEAT SPECIAL - 33.99 Again, the portion sizes were pretty small given that this was a family special. My two friends and I weren't full afterwards. The platter was big, but all the food was spread out and did not fill up the injera. It came with four different meats, egg, some cheese, and a side salad. Overall, we felt like the meats were not very flavorful and on the blander side. In general, there wasn't a lot of meat either. They also only gave us two rolls of injera, which was not enough (we probably could have asked for more, not sure). But hey, there was zero food waste at least. Sadly, I don't think I'll be returning to Family Ethiopian Restaurant since I've had better experience at other restaurants in the city (literally one really good one a block or two away).

Ethiopian is my favorite food, so as long as the food is good, service and ambiance don't matter that much to me. But at Family Ethiopian, both are good. The waitress was kind and present, but didn't hover. They had some nice Ethiopian tchotchkes. And the food was great. My favorite dish is gomen wot and Family's was terrific. They were a little smoky from the jalapeño. The awaze tibs were also delicious. My kiddos really liked the split yellow peas. I would definitely eat here again next time I'm in the area.

I get takeout from here all the time and it's always perfect. Just exactly what I want and friendly service when I pick up. The family special is my favorite.

AMAZING! Best Ethiopian food I have have EVER had! Must go if you are in DC - missed the opportunity last time Mindy and I were in DC because they were full for the night! Now I know why! First off service was super attentive, helps maybe we got there ahead of the rush crowd. Decor was simple and I'm a big meat eater but I ended up forgoing the meats to have the vegetarian family dish which has all eight options - there was only one that I did not like the Fosolia - I'm sure if it's a dish you like you'll love it but it was not for me - the Shiro amd Diffen Missir were my absolute favorites - I'm generally not a fan of collard greens nor cabbage HOWEVER I am a convert with the Gomen and Tekil gomen - the Messir Wot and Kim Alitcha were also tasty but with more subdued flavors - almost remiss of mentioning it but if you would like a new drink experience you must try Tej (honey wine) - picture a more refined Meade. Soooooooo good! I'm already looking forward to coming back to DC to eat here again!

I wanted to try this restaurant for a very long time but I sadly came away disappointed. There are many other excellent Ethiopian restaurants in DC (especially nearby) and I won't be returning. I ordered the yebeg (lamb) tibs, which I usually love, but my order came out dry and not very flavorful. I also think they ended up being beef and not lamb. I also ordered a side of cabbage (since the tibs didn't come with anything else except the injeera), and it was not good at all. The shiro wot (chick peas) was maybe the best of everything I tried, but still disappointing. The service wasn't the best either, it took me 3 times riding a Coke before I received it. I hate writing poor reviews of locally-owned businesses, but I feel like I was misled with the positive reviews and wanted to provide my perspective.

Some of the best Ethiopian food I've ever had. Our finicky teens loved it too! Staff were friendly and we only wish there was one in Boston.

This is my first time trying Ethiopian food and it was truly a unique dining experience. We got the meat sample platter and some injera. It is a different experience as it involves a lot of different dips and sauces and you use the injera as your utensils. This was a lot of food for two people. The bread really fills you up the spices were different from what I'm used to normally eating. We were able to get in right away and it was a very homey and laid back environment. The service was great and so was the food. Can't wait to go back and try more Ethiopian food.

Great service, super great food, sometimes there could be a wait, but we got in just in time. The meat plater was a lot of food for two people we had to take some home. - would visit again.

All the food here is fresh and flavorful. I wish they had more flexibility with their platter options, though.

LOVEE the food here!! Our waitress was very accommodating and patient for our large group of maybe ~20 people. Iirc, we got Yebeg Tibs (lamb) and Diffen Missir wot (lentils) -- I surprisingly LOVED the lentils so much, maybe even more than the lamb! I'd say the lamb portion was way too little, but otherwise I'd definitely come back just for the lentils alone. Love that there was a presentation aspect where the waitress freshly poured our food onto the injera flatbread Beware that you could be sharing your portion with others in your party, but you will likely be adequately full. Just ask for guidance from your server!

This was my first time eating ethiopian food ever and it was AMAZING. Service was a bit slow but the food was well worth the wait. There' was ethiopian jazz playing in addition to the news, so it really did feel like eating at a family gathering which was wonderful.

The wait is worth it. This is a family business and they are always so busy...but just because they're busy does not mean that they are unkind. Everyone was lovely! The food was so delicious and well spiced. I was very impressed, and the next time I am back in DC I will be visiting again.

Outstanding!!!! This was our first time having Ethiopian food and it was simply delicious. On top of that the atmosphere is wonderful and the service was as good as it gets.

The vegetarian sampler was delicious and well-packaged (no leaks during delivery). I wasn't a fan of the beets and the green salad, but everything else hit the spot. Also, I recommend ordering extra injera. The next time in town, I'll certainly order from here again.

This place is a delight, I wish I had come sooner! I ordered the family meat and veggie special and shared with one other person--it was more than enough food and I had enough to enjoy as a leftover meal the next day. I also tried the honey wine which was a delicious compliment to the meal. They are also very generous with the pour! All in all, it's a delicious, filling meal at a great price.

All the vege are extremely impressive especially beets and green bean. Tibs are really good too. Environment is also cute and welcoming. Will come back if visit DC again

Neighborhood spot with good food. We had the meat and veggie platter (feeds 2) and it was yummy. It cost $39 so with tip it was $24 each. Service was friendly and helpful. The space is bit small so it will fill up! I believe there was a step up into the building for accessibility.

Hands down best Ethiopian takeout I've had in years! Takeout is perfectly packaged in a flat foil tray that is easy to reheat if you want it piping hot, nicely wrapped so that the food hasn't spilled all over itself. And the food itself is fabulous. Not oily, and while I'm stuffed to the brim it's only because I couldn't stop eating the delicious food. My only critique is that the cubed beef dishes were dry, though the sauces were all on point. For $30, my husband and I shared the meat and veggie platter, which enabled us to try eight dishes. The selection is wider than at many other local spots. You get to choose the four veg. Thanks to prior Yelpers I selected the Berbere red lentils which remain one of my faves, the cabbage carrot and potato which was tender as could be and naturally sweet from the perfectly cooked cabbage, the green beans and carrot dish I find elusive in DC, and the puréed chick peas with spices, which I loved even though I'm not a huge chickpea fan. Of the meats, the stewed beef and the ground lamb were excellent. We still have leftovers after stuffing our faces! I'm already planning my next order here (likely the veggie platter with a meat or fish dish added on).

1. FAMILY VEGETARIAN SPECIAL (misssir wot,kik alicha, gomen, tekil gomen, shiro wot, diffen missir, fosolia, and kayser) 2. FAMILY MEAT SPECIAL (lega tibs, family kitfo, chicken stew, kay wot, and alicha wot) 3. MISTO (mixed combinations of lamb stew simmered in red chili sauce, onion, tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic cooked in mild beef curry sauce and Ethiopian purified butter) 4. SAMBUSAS (pastry filled with onion, green pepper, and lentils) * 9/10 * In the midst of a dinner rush, we were graciously seated upstairs in what looked like the bar/lounge area. Since we have had experience eating Ethiopian food prior, ordering and figuring out what to get was easy peasy. We ordered one of each; the family vegetarian and meat specials, which was the perfect amount for us. Every dish was INCREDIBLE. The mixture of seasonings and flavors were so good. Ethiopian food can be "intimidating" or "interesting" to others (according to the white people next to us), but we LOVE Ethiopian cuisine and the experience of it all. ^@kamibites on Instagram

I found out about Family Ethiopian Restaurant through an article on Eater DC. It was talking about the origins or the restaurant and how it was able to overcome the struggles of the pandemic. After reading, I had to give it a try. I absolutely love Ethiopian food and have been to many Ethiopian restaurants over the past years. What I've found with Ethiopian restaurants, is that they all have their unique twist on the traditional and common dishes. I almost always go with a Kitfo (ground beef in spices), a variation of tibs (cubed beef), and a veggie sampler. Here they have family specials that allow you to get a mix of meats and veggies. We went with the family meat and veggie special, which allowed for a great variety of items. We loved all of it. Keep in mind with these specials, the portions are a bit smaller. That was ok with us, just left more room to order an additional item. We went with the Asa Dulet (cubed fish in an awaze sauce) as our extra item. OMG..please try this dish. In all my experiences at Ethiopian restaurants I've never had anything like this. The fish was perfectly cooked and the spices and flavors of the awaze sauce took it over the top for me. On top of the amazing food, the service was on point, and the overall vibe in the restaurant made you feel right at home. I can't wait to get back for another visit.

Staff was super friendly and food was good! There will be a wait. The inside is very cool with traditional decor.

It's just ok for DC ethiopian. Potatoes were undercooked. It's crazy, though, what the standard price for a vegetarian platter has become. Not unique to this place, to be fair. It's $20 for a plate of lentils, potatoes, collard greens, and cabbage. That's unbelievable considering those are some of the lowest cost foods, especially when cooked in bulk. I'm all for hard working restaurant folks making money but it's straight up price gouging going on around here. A plate of potatoes and beans should never cost $20.

I've been in D.C. for one week now. This is the BEST meal I've had all week. The food was amazing and the people here were friendly and welcoming. Greeted with a glass of ice water when we entered, and the food came out promptly after ordering. The restaurant is comfortable and nicely decorated with African art and pottery on the windowsill. The lamb stew was delicious! If I ever return to D.C. I will definitely be coming back to this wonderful restaurant. So happy to have found this place.

It was very good. But small portions. Shared with a friend. The service want Rell not slow for me. We were there for 30 min tops. We saw the table beside up get tea and pop corn at the end of their meal but we wasn't offer anything. Not to mention we ordered the same exact things The music was authentic. Would definitely come back. And I definitely recommend this place.

3.5 stars Visited Family Ethiopian recently, and it was a good experience. food is delicious and portions are abundant, but it is definitely more expensive than what it offers. Not a good price-quality ratio. Service was also confusing and inattentive, although the servers are lovely. The ambiance is definitely great with Ethiopian music playing and a cozy vibe.

Undeniably delicious! The DMV is blessed with many incredible Ethiopian restaurants and this has to be one of the very best. It is on the Michelin Guide for a reason! Every single dish is packed with flavor. The Family sampler is a great dinner for two- it's affordable, filling, and not a single dish disappoints. It's so difficult to pick a favorite. It's all craveable! The restaurant is also cozy and clean and the staff are very friendly and welcoming :-) thank you Family Ethiopian

Ordered from Family Ethiopian Restaurant on DoorDash. SO flavorful!! Just the right amount of kick from the spices. I got the Regular Vegetarian Special with kik alitcha, gomen, fosolia, and tekil gomen. Only two minor complaints: 1) there wasn't really any potato in the tekil gomen or fosolia which both mention potatoes on the menu, and 2) the injera was cold. Not the kind of cold it'd get from a car ride. Those issues are minor compared to how delicious the food is. I'd definitely eat here again.

Hip vibe. This was my first Ethiopian experience. The food was really nice. We tried Enjeras

Came here with friends after a night at Allegory on a Monday. Love that this place is open until midnight! Got there around 10pm and there were still a few other people there. Our waitress was very kind and asked if we wanted to put the 3 dishes we ordered on the same plate to share. The Kitfo, Doro Wot, and Tibs Fir Fir were all so good. They also brought each of the 6 of us our own serving of injera, which was much appreciated. Just the 3 dishes fed all 6 of us with plenty of leftovers. I took the leftovers home and that lasted me 4 more meals! They are very generous with portions. Our friend that we came with just moved to DC, so I'm glad we were able to welcome her with this awesome Ethiopian (a DMV must) meal.

The staff was so kind and gave everyone in the restaurant a free piece of cake to celebrate a staff member's birthday! Further, our food came out in only a few minutes and tasted delicious. The family vegetarian special is an excellent deal for two people - more than enough food at a very reasonable price for DC. Would give this place six stars if I could!

This is a complicated review to leave because the food was incredible but the service/experience left much to be desired. I struggled on what to rate this and come up with a 3.5 but there are no half stars and the Healy concerns caused me to round down. I dined in around 7 pm on a Monday. I assumed it would be quieter this evening but it was very busy. As a party of one, I was told to wait at the bar until a table became available. I sat down at the open space, where food remnants and mess remained. Myself and the following parties after me waited there. They were all given a table, I was not. After 30 min, I was given a menu. I placed my order - the vegetarian special - which took about 45 min to arrive. I was never offered a real seat and my place setting was never cleaned. Meanwhile, I watched as other dirty tables simply had the plates removed and staff used napkins already on the table to wipe off mess -- seems like a health/safety risk to me. I had to ask multiple times for water and multiple times for the check. I eventually had to go up to the server at the POS to request my check after being here nearly 2 hours. All this said, the food is incredible. Truly the best Ethiopian cuisine I've had the pleasure of dining on. It was very filling yet left me wanting more. I particularly loved the Ethiopian "bread," which you're encouraged to use in place of silverware. It's a shame this was my only opportunity to visit here. Under different circumstances -- more staff, better cleaning -- I could have rated this a 5.

I learned about Family Ethiopian last year when I came to DC for a conference. Remembering that experience, I decided to visit them again and was not disappointed. Their food is fresh and expertly prepared by their chefs. I enjoyed my Doro Wot and 2 Sambusas. The restaurant was nearby and walking distance from the hotel that I stayed at. If you're in DC and near the Walter Washington Convention, they are a must stop. I will be back!

Best Ethiopian food in DC! I first worked/lived in DC in 2007, after having lived down the street from the most delicious Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago. I have eaten my way through many places recommended by Ethiopian-American friends or on "top Ethiopian restaurants in DC" lists year after year, but never really found one quite as good--until today. Tried Family Ethiopian Restaurant for the first time and I *finally* have my go-to spot for THE BEST Ethiopian food in the DMV. My husband and i have pretty opposite tastes, but at least one of us loved every dish on the Meat/Veg family platter. The spicy lentils were delicious and almost creamy, perfectly spicy, and had no gritiness. The Awaze Tibs were incredibly flavorful and tender with a formidable heat (spicy) level. The teff (Ethiopian) injera was perfect--thin and spongy, flavorful, with a delightful flavor and feel. We ordered via delivery service. They made it easy to report food allergies. Food arrived well-packaged. The only downside was i wish the salad sides were combined and packaged separately from the hot foods since the lettuce arrived pretty wilted from the heat. But dig down a layer and it was clear the salad was crispy and fresh when it left the restaurant. I truly can't say enough about how fantastic our dinner was tonight! We look forward to heading there in-person to enjoy even more of the menu.