Enjera Restaurant

Great authentic Ethiopian restaurant in Arlington! The food was delicious and servers attentive. The portions are generous. Food has spice levels so you can tweak it according to your preference. The atmosphere is cozy. Will visit again.

First time eating Ethiopian food, the restaurant was very nice with a beautiful bar, the service was wonderful, very knowledgeable and helpful with our questions, and the food was amazing. Everything was prepared amazingly. Again this is my first experience with this type of food but I would definitely come back again.

5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Injera Restaurant is top-notch! The Owner’s Special—beef with pasta—was one of the best dishes in Eritrea, known as Asmarino Italiano, bringing back authentic flavors from Asmara. They also have a great wine list, delicious vegan specials, and the best customer service. Our server, Betty, was amazing—friendly, attentive, and made the experience even better. Highly recommend!🍻🍻🍻

Enjera has been our go-to spot for authentic Ethiopian food for years. Whether we dine in or grab carryout, the food is always hot, fresh, and full of flavor. The veggie combo is a favorite, but I’m especially obsessed with the Asa spris—hands down my top pick! The awazi tibs is also a must-try. The owner is incredibly personable, the staff genuinely caring, and the vibe is always right—whether you're enjoying the cozy indoor setting or relaxing outside with hookah. I truly love everything about this place.

ENJERA Restaurant – A True Gem in the DMV! Today, ENJERA Restaurant truly made my day! I had been craving injera with veggie and tibsi, and they absolutely delivered. The injera was soft and perfectly fermented, the vegetables were fresh and full of flavor, and the tibsi was spiced just right—tender, juicy, and deeply satisfying. What took the experience to the next level was the perfect pairing with Shawel Beer. Its crisp, smooth finish complemented the spices of the tibsi and balanced the richness of the veggies. It’s rare to find such a flawless harmony between food and drink. This was easily one of the best Ethiopian meals in the DMV—authentic, delicious, and made with care. Huge props to ENJERA Restaurant for the amazing food and to Shawel Beer for adding that extra magic to the meal. Highly recommend this combo to anyone looking for a true taste of tradition and quality!

Very good Ethiopian food. We ordered a meat combo for one and the veggie combo for two and a pitcher of beer. This was enough for my wife, daughter and myself to split. We couldn’t finish it. I really enjoyed the greens and cabbage. My daughter liked the yellow lentils the most. My wife really enjoyed a couple of the meat dishes. We all agreed the chicken dish was really spicy! Overall a wonderful experience!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Generous portions and full of flavor. Did a combination of multiple meats and vegetables and still had some leftover to take home. Staff was friendly. Great service.

I love Enjera. I’ve been multiple times and the service and quality of the food has been consistently good. I eat meat but I’ve only had vegan or vegetarian dishes here aside from the beef sambusa which is delicious. I will return to try some meat entrees soon because they also look good, but all that being said I highly recommend the vegetarian and vegan platters. Many of the most iconic Ethiopian dishes are meatless so if it’s your first time having it I highly recommend ordering one meat dish or meat sampler and one vegetarian. Also try the honey wine and the Ethiopian beer is good too.

We live in Harrisonburg and were so disappointed when the Ethiopian Restaurant closed down (quite awhile ago). We were staying overnight before an early flight and walked to Enjera. The food was so very tasty with a great atmosphere.

I went to Enjera and had the Ethiopian vegetarian and meat lover combo.The food came out on a giant round tray covered with injera (spongy flatbread that's soft). We all ate with our hands, tearing off pieces and scooping up whatever looked good. There were plenty of extra injera rolls on the side. You could open them up and basically make your own little wraps, packing them with lentils, stewed greens, beef, or chicken. It was hard to say which dish stood out as everything blended together. The vibe of the place definitely was great too. Light Ethiopian music in the background and the staff was super friendly and happy to explain anything if it was your first time. I also think it was a hookah bar too but i've been a couple of times and never smelled anything. Overall, great place to eat, and bring your friends!

Came here with some colleagues after the first day of our conference at the Kennedy Center. We wanted to share a meal and enjoy some light-hearted conversation and this was the spot most recommended to us. To start, I got the iced spice tea - it was extremely refreshing and full of spices like clove and cinnamon. Then, we got two orders of the Meat Lovers Special and Veggie Combo platters for the table. We thoroughly enjoyed the lentil dishes, but my personal favorite was the meat! So flavorful, with just enough kick to remind you that you're alive. VERY decently priced - for 5 people, plus drinks, we ended up paying about $35 (with tip). Price: 5/5 Food: 5/5 Drink: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 OVERALL: 5/5 - will definitely come again when I am up this way!

My introduction to the cuisine didn't disappoint. Enjoyed the recommendations by our server. Aromas fill the air, setting the anticipatory stage for the huge platter of delicious selections. You travel the World without leaving your table. The restaurant was comfortable and welcoming...a nice place to take the family, spend time with a date, or just treat yourself to a selection of well prepared dishes. Looking forward to another dinner soon.

Without a doubt, our favorite Ethiopian restaurant in all of Northern Virginia. We've been here dozens of times, but this is our first review to share news of this exceptional place. Decorated in culturally significant art and artifacts, it is a pleasant environment to enjoy and appreciate the food to come. While we typically mix-up our entrees the Veggie Combo is our go-to everytime we're here. Served on a bed of Injera (for those unfamiliar, it is sour fermented pancake-like flatbread with a spongy texture, made with teff flour), and accompanied by sides of rolled up Injera, the Combo for two has alicia (split pea stew seasoned with turmeric and ginger sauce), spicy lentils, collard greens, green beans and yellow split peas. This is a wonderful dish, and the Combo for two is quite filling. On our most recent trip we also added the Awaze Tibsi, which are very tender cubes of beef marinated with rosemary and adorned with onions, tomatoes and jalapenos. Spicy but amazing!

I joined some coworkers at Enjera for a quick dinner before returning home. Located in Arlington's Restaurant Row (and a quick walk from my hotel), the space looks like it was an old house converted to a restaurant. As a design professional, I like this adaptive reuse. In addition to a delicious meal, my dinner was actually an educational experience as this was my first time enjoying Eritrean cuisine. For the uninitiated, as I was myself, traditional Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine is eaten essentially with your hand or rather with the Injera bread (the restaurant's namesake. In consistency and looks, it's almost like a pancake with a spongy & slightly sour texture. A lot of the dishes tend to be stews, and this bread is placed both on the bottom of the plate with the meat and stew on it as well as on the side where you pick your food. Thankfully for this first timer, they did provide utensils. as it were, embarrassingly for me, when I saw the plate of the Enjera bread first served, I thought that it was the napkin that I would put on my lap. Besides the bread, my chicken dish consisted of boiled eggs and chicken drumsticks covered with a deliciously spicy hot stew. This is what I started picking on first thinking it was shredded chicken. I appreciate my coworkers for pointing out where the chicken was lol this spicy marinade , gave my dish a deliciously well seasoned and spicy flavor. I did have to use the utensils for the chicken and the the egg. My portion was very generously served, and I loved the combination of flavors. I did love the cuisine to the point that I'll be keeping an eye out for this dish in Miami.

Truly can't get enough of this place! From the service to the meal everything is top notch. Their doro wot, tibs, and veggie platters are 10/10. The next time you'd like to get Ethiopian in NoVA check out Enjra

I was really hoping for a memorable and delicious Ethiopian dinner, but my experience fell short of expectations. I visited on a Tuesday evening and did not have to wait for a table (no other customers present). The waitress was friendly and served us quickly. The restaurant was quiet, cozy, and dark. The food was okay, just a little too much heat (spice) and oil in the meal. The serving for 1 for the Meat Lovers combo was too much food for one person, wish they could offer a smaller sampler dinner entree.

The food here was extremely delicious! It was my first time eating Eritrean food so I didn't know what to expect. It was practically empty when I walked in, so no major crowds which I appreciate since I could expect the servers to give me undivided attention which they did. I ordered the chicken spris with the beef enjera special and sambusas. All of it was really delicious and perfectly seasoned. The chicken spris was very filling and I shared with two other people. The servers were very nice and ensured all of my questions were answered. I would highly recommend coming here on a Sunday afternoon when it's not crowded and there's plenty of seating available.

Was looking for an Eritrean restaurant to try while in town last weekend, and Enjera did not disappoint. OVERALL RATING: 4.5/5 Food: I got the regular tibsi as well as derek tibsi. The food came quickly and was delivered hot. A nice portion of awaze and mitmita were also provided. The food was a bit underseasoned, but these toppings/additions made up for it. The TaiTa (injera) was also lovely; I was super impressed that this restaurant provides the option of 100% teff TaiTa! You don't get that option anywhere, really. I can't forget to mention that this restaurant gives generous portions. Service: we had a lovely server, though she was a tad bit MIA in certain moments. Still, this did not dampen the experience. Ambiance: this restaurant is great for family or a group of friends. There is an excellent array of seating to choose from: indoor seating, bar seating, window seating, outdoor seating. Would 100% recommend to others, and I'd return myself next time I'm in town!

Absolutely perfect meal. Wonderful array of flavors and colors on a delicious bed on injera.

My first meal here was about 8 years ago and to this day, I haven't found anything that compares. It's so good, I used to drive 35-40 mins to get it since I previously lived in Bowie MD. Now, I'm much much closer and eat here at least once a month. Every time I stray and try new Ethiopian spots, I compare it to Enjera because they set the bar high. And it's not that those restaurants are bad, it's just Enjera is THAT good.

I had lunch at Enjera and the food was delicious! Good portions and food was flavorful. Everything was seasoned well and fresh and had a nice kick. Sambusa beef was incredibly crispy and definitely a must try!

Here I am thinking that all the Ethiopian/Eritrean food is across the river. I've been absolutely sleeping on this Crystal City gem! Not only do they have one of the better sampler platters, but I don't have to fight DC traffic either I loved everything--the veggie platter, the meat platter, the fancy Ethiopian honey wine. I left happy and full (and wincing a little at the price not gonna lie), but considering I will live and die for this cuisine, I can't complain. The dining room is a bit unorthodox but we were served well and had a great view of 23rd street.

Gourmet Ethiopian food! The restaurant serves generous portion sizes which taste fantastic! We ordered a variety of sambusa for the table as appetizer to share which were great. I ordered the veggie combo for 1 which was phenomenal! I would recommend this place if you love Ethiopian food or if you want to try it for the first time! The service was great and the ambience was a chill vibe!

First time to ordered from my favourite Ethiopian deli food yum yum delivered on time mmm!!!!

A new Ethiopian fave! I live in NY and Enjera has been on my list for a couple of years and I finally got my mom to try it with me after landing in DC. My aunt came too. For our appetizers, we had the meat Sambusa and the veggie role. Th veggie role had a great portion size but the Sambusa was a smaller portion. We ordered the derek tibsi, alicha bsiga, chicken spris, collard greens, yellow lentils, and of course the salad. We thoroughly enjoyed every bit of our meal. However, the drinks were gross. We had a Moscow mule and a margarita. Both were insanely sour and just all around disgusting. We decided to order the honey wine which was great! We recommend you do the same! Stay away from the drinks from behind the bar lol.

My husband and I came in hungry and got the Meat Lovers Combo for 2 for ~$45. This could have easily fed 3-4 people! About 75% of the meat dishes accompanying this are quite spicy (as someone with relatively low spice tolerance for someone of Taiwanese heritage), so be warned! Flavorful, but the flavor profiles eventually blend in with each other since it's so meaty. For your first time here, I would suggest getting something with more veggies for variety. 3.75 for the choice we made, but would come back to try something not as meat heavy! Service was great - food came out fairly quickly after ordering; room was well air conditioned and there was still some window seating at 7pm on a Friday evening. No reservations needed

I recently went here for dinner after work with one of my coworkers. She has never tried Ethiopian food before so I decided to order the veggie combo and legs tibs. We also ordered drinks. The food and drinks were really good, but the service was very slow, so don't go there if you're in a hurry.

I've slowly developed a love for Ethiopian food since moving to the east coast. I think the neighborhoods in and around DC are the best place to get Ethiopian food. This is one of those location where you are just amazed with the food and presentation! I highly recommend getting a vegetable option and a meat option. We shared a crispy meat and a vegetarian platter with 3 people and that was enough food. Everything was so delicious! The server was friendly and attentive. They have live music later in the hours (9pm?) but we left before getting to experience the music. My only complaint is the loud music they play regularly. It almost felt like you're dining at the club. At first I love the music but then it gets distracting when you're just dining in and trying to enjoy your food.

There is limited street metered parking in front or you can loop around the block and there is more metered street parking. It was a short wait for a table. This is a small location with maybe 10 -12 tables and some seats at the bar. The service is efficient and our waitress was knowledgeable and offered some good suggestions. The veg sambusa was really good with a good crunch and flaky exterior and flavorful veggies, the hot sauce enhanced the flavors. I loved the yellow lentils and red lentils had some heat. The split peas were a little dry but still good. It is an expensive dinner if you want to try a variety of meats plus the veggie combo but it will be flavorful and you will enjoy your meal.

I ordered food from here since I was craving Ethiopian food, and it did not disappoint. The serving sizes were HUGE, as I got a veggie platter for two. I got some enjera bread as well, and everything tasted delicious. My favorites were the red lentils and the okra, which has the most flavor. But everything else was good and had its own unique flavor.

I went for the first time many years ago with a large group and found it unremarkable - nothing blew me away but nothing offended me either. There are other places that impress me more so I hadn't been back in years. Then, my fiance and I were looking for something outside our usual rotation and landed on Enjera because it is more convenient to us as Arlingtonians location-wise and it is easy to find parking. My fiance got a shrimp entree and ordered rice since he doesn't like enejera. He has only recently decided he likes Ethiopian food and was happy with his meal. I tasted it and thought it was nice if not mindblowing. He was still hungry after, tho, and this may have been a product of the fact that he wasn't eating the enjera, but the shrimp in his entree were not large and it wasn't a huge portion. We went to one of my regular places a while back with a group and he and one other person got rice then and every one of us was totally stuffed and had to get takeout containers. The real problem, however, was with my meal. I ordered a veggie combo right off the menu with no changes. It was supposed to come with cabbage, collard greens, green beans, spicy lentils, salad and split peas. I was given a platter covered in a single layer of enjera and it had a decent salad and VERY small portions of cabbage and collards (gomen wat) that both just tasted like garlic and nothing of Ethiopian spices. Also on my platter were two scoops of split peas and two scoops of what looked like completely plain lentils. I tried these items and they were completely cold, and the injera was totally cold. More than that, they were flavorless. I am used to getting veggie combos at other Ethiopian restaurants that have multiple types of lentil with different sauces/spices and they stain the injera beneath them. The injera under these lentils was completely unchanged. Basically, these were cold, plain lentils that had nothing on them. There were also no green beans on my plate. We called over a different waitress and she told us that it had been a busy day so they had run out of both green beans and spicy lentils. Nobody said anything about this when I ordered - and they somehow thought it would be acceptable to serve me cold plain lentils instead? It was like they opened a can and dumped it on my plate. I think the waitress saw that I was flabbergasted and asked me what thing from the platter I would like to have more of to make up for it. Except I didn't like anything so I asked her to just take it back and said I would look at the menu some more. Later on while I was sitting and watching my fiance eat, our original waitress went to another table and I overheard them ordering a double veggie combo and the waitress said NOTHING. Then she came over to us right after and asked if I wanted to order something else, so she knew one customer had been disappointed by the platter and yet it didn't occur to her to inform this other diner that they were out of multiple items from the combo. I ordered a shiro entree and after the waitress left I went to the other diners' table and gave her a heads up. Call me meddlesome but she deserved to know. When the shiro arrived it was fine, though the injera on my plate was, again, ice cold. But the other issue is that at pretty much every other Ethiopian place I have patronized they bring additional enjera to scoop your food with and here I received none, just the injera on the platter that was covered in food, making it difficult to grab any with my hands and scoop. I had to eat with a fork. It was only after we had completely finished our entrees - and remember my fiance was finished with his before I even received mine because of sending the previous one back - that the waitress came back with some additional enjera and said she'd forgot to bring it. At that point it was useless. While waiting for our check I went to the bathroom to wash my hands and, looking for something nice to be able to say in my review, thought to myself that the bathroom was pretty nice. No sooner than I had thought that, the handle to the door fell off in my hand. When I returned to my table and reviewed the check they had taken my original veggie combo off the bill, but they charged my fiance $5 for a glass of iced tea and charged me $4 for a can of diet coke with ice (no refills). We were still hungry, too, so we went next door to Bob and Edith's and my fiance got an entire turkey burger and I got a bagel and cream cheese. And big giant soft drinks with refills that cost less. We are not going to go back to Enjera. Some of my experience may have been a one-off (in particular I think we had an especially flakey waitress) but the reality is that there are so many Ethiopian places with better food and portions in this area. Next time we will just have to suck it up and drive a little further out.

Delicious Ethiopian food right next to Crystal City. Clean atmosphere, friendly service, and high quality. Especially enjoyed the spicier selections. Great time here with a family friend. First time for kids to experience Ethopian cuisine, and this was the perfect place.

The injera here is excellent: DC has many options for Ethiopian & Eritrean food and this is a great introduction to this type of cuisine. I went with someone who's never had Ethiopian/Eritrean and they walked away a big fan. The decorations here are very cute and the plates are so beautifully and colorfully decorated! It's a great location for a nicer meal without breaking the bank: we saw some folks celebrating graduation at a table nearby. We ordered a shared meat combo platter for 3 people - and it was a lot of food. We had trouble eating all of it in the end. They also provide some large injeras on the side so with all of the food, we were stuffed when we left. The food itself tasted delicious: everything was so rich and perfectly seasoned without one particular spice or dish overwhelming everything. I would highly recommend the meat combo: it gives you a taste of everything and it was all good. The price is definitely worth it for the quantity and quality of food you're getting. We left very full and satisfied. The waiters weren't fussy: they took our orders quickly (and provided some helpful information about serving/portion sizes). It was a bit of a wait to get the food - but I'm not surprised since the platter was so large.

Excellent food with great service. The in seat payment method is confusing and laborious, but the staff is able to assist.

Came here at 8:50pm on a Wednesday night. Contrary to my last review, the place did not give off night club vibes but more so a family friendly vibe. This time around we got the meat combo and shiro on the side with a mushroom appetizer called kantisha. The kantisha was super spicy but so flavorful and delicious- a little in the oily side. The meat combo was filling and more than enough for 3 people. Funny enough, everyone's favorite was the shiro. Next time, we'll do the vegan sampler with a meat side since the lentils are that good! We also tried honey wine. I wasn't a fan but my partner and his friend loved it! You can definitely taste the honey. Service is SLOW, and note that they already include 20% tip in the bill as well as an Arlington meal tax on top of regular tax. Word to the wise to not tack on extra tip unless you had a phenomenal experience.

The only other times I had eaten Ethiopian food was when my friend from college would make it s lunch and his was authentic. This place took me back to those same lunches he made. We ordered the meat special and everything on the platter was delicious. Some of the meats were spicy but all were tasty. I would recommend trying this place if you're in the area. Parking is tough.

One word: delicious. I came here with someone who's never had Ethiopian/Eritrean food before and they became a big fan. Highly recommend the veggie platter to share with a meat added on. The beef was cooked perfectly, and everything on the platter had so much flavor. Service was prompt. We went on a Thursday night and the restaurant was packed, which is a good sign but be aware the food may take a little longer because of that.

When my husband and I arrived, it took over 10-15 mins for the waitress to come the counter. A couple that arrived after us called the restaurant to see if anyone would respond that way. Once she came, we were seated in a lovely environment, but void of additional waiting staff. I felt awful for her. I ordered the veggies and meat combo platter and the food was great! Everything was perfectly seasoned and the portions were a pretty good size. I would consider coming back, but maybe dine out only next time.

Every time my husband and I go to an Ethiopian restaurant - we order the tibs and veggie combo and always leave very full and satiated. Our server was very kind and prompt with our order. The food was very savory with lots of spices! One of my new favorite restaurants!

We went to DC to attend a friend's wedding and while going back to the airport we took a quick stop to eat. Luckily we ended up at Enjera. It is located 10mins away from DCA airport. The ambiance was pretty good. They had a nice Ethiopian music (not sure) in the background and it was blissful to hear while we had our meal. The servers were really nice and accommodating. 4 of our friends joined later and they quickly moved us to a bigger table. Food, I may be biased because I love Indian food and Ethiopian food is similar in some regards. I ordered chicken spris and it was good. My friends ordered vegan kitfo dullet (so so good) and Zigniy Derho (amazing but really hot). Overall I would highly recommend this place if you want to spend good time with friends or family and have a nice authentic Ethiopian food.

Really good food plus god service, the chicken tibs was amazing. Usually Eritrean/ethiopian restaurants are not good with chicken tibs as the meat will taste boiled. But they grilled it right and I think used breast meat which makes it so much better. The beef tibs were great too. Great restaurant.

We ordered takeout and got the veggie combo, tidbits, and meat combo. EVER-RY single piece of food that I tasted was made to perfection. It was all seasoned well and cooked with love. Will definitely be back!

Ambiance was very nice. African style cuisine was excellent. When you come - ask for: Elul she is so very friendly and an outstanding server!

Located on a hill lined with bar restaurants, it's a typical Ethiopian restaurant design with wooden seating and it has a male-centric smoking area upstairs. The service & food was great! The tej was not as sweet as I remember yrs ago. Pleasant. They don't have lamb on their menu so we were a bit sad. We also didn't exactly know what we were ordering but somehow managed to enjoy it. I'd say it's worth a try. Go, enjoy

Wow! I was in town for work and we decided to meet here for dinner. The restaurant has several smaller dining spaces and we were seated on an enclosed patio area. The space was simple and nice. There was even a small bar in the more central area of the restaurant. We were promptly seated, and our waitress was polite and knowledgeable with questions regarding the menu and concerns with allergies. We shared a vegetarian platter and chicken dish. Everything was wonderful/flavorful and the bread/crepe was the perfect texture/consistency. I wish I lived closer, but I will be coming back.

TLDR; I'm so fortunate I live nearby. Long story: Boyfriend and I stopped in for dinner, starving. We ordered the sambusa, veggie platter for 1, and meat platter for 1. The sambusa order came with two pieces. They were tasty, crispy, filled with potato, and came with a smoky chili sauce that was delicious and yet not too spicy. The platters were LOADED. They are not stingy with the amount they give you here. Everything was so flavorful. We ate until we needed to roll out of there and we still didn't finish half of everything. The owner also treats everyone like family. Pssssst to whomever needs to hear... This place deserves a Michelin star!

Met my friend Helen here for lunch a couple of weeks ago and we really enjoyed the Meat Lovers Combo. It has so much veggies and meat we could finish in one sitting. I particularly loved the way they cooked the collards. It was so soft and stay vibrantly green, unlike the southern cooking where collards were cooked until their soul had left the earth. Have to go back to ask the chef for its secret.

Been here twice. First experience was great. Was unfamiliar with Ethiopian food and the server guided me through the menu and gave a great recommendation. I thoroughly enjoyed that meal. Second time I tried to come I brought my parents and stood at the front of the establishment for about 15 minutes before we gave up on trying to be seated and went to grab a quick bite at Bob and Edith's next door. Even tried calling the restaurant to get someone to try and answer the phone up front and checking around into the bar area. Nobody around

I've been lucky to frequent a couple of good Ethiopian restaurants and this is right up there with the select few that I would return back to. Is a pretty ample menu that offers some of the favorites and it could be a little intimidating but if it's a group or just two people are sharing plate is probably the best thing to do as pictured below. Can't go wrong with a veggie and meat lovers platter. Appetizers are good idea but you might be overdoing it considering the size of the entree. And they make one heck of a mean vodka and ginger if you're into that sort of thing

Enjera offers excellent vegetarian food in Crystal City. The yellow lentils were mild and perfect for me. The gomen wat was uncharacteristically smoky in flavor, but still delicious. The service couldn't have been nicer! My friend and I felt spoiled. And the place was packed with locals and tourists, too. I hadn't visited Enjera in several years, but I will be back soon.

This was my first time having Ethiopian food and I have to say I am a big fan! We started with the vegetable sambusa that was absolutely delicious. We had a vegetarian in our group so we get the veggie combo for two and tibsi fitfit for a meat option. I am far from vegetarian but the entire vegetarian platter was so satisfying and filling. All of the food is served on top of a large piece of injera and they give each person a couple rolls to eat with. If you've never had Injera it has a little sour taste and a soft sponges texture. Compliments each item perfectly.

I travel to NOVA around 6-7 times a year. The one must do is Enjera. Haven't tried Ethiopian? You need to! I've taken dozens of people here who had never tried the cuisine and they were all shocked at how good it was. Meat lovers, vegetarians, pescatarians this is for you. Excellent food, great service, great atmosphere and a very interactive meal. Try it, you have never tasted flavors like this. HIGHLY recommend!

Authentic, delicious, and filling Ethiopian and Eritrean food with a well-deserved excellent reputation. If you're at a work event or conference at one of the various surrounding hotels, it's well worth the quick walk to skip the standard conference fare for lunch here. My co-workers and I visited on a weekday and were seated quickly. The restaurant has seating split between a few rooms within the space, including a nice sunny enclosed patio. We ordered a meat lovers combo and veggie combo, which came out quickly on one large platter. I appreciated the variety of dishes and flavors. It was flavorful without being overly seasoned or unbalanced. The two combination entrees made a filling but not unreasonable lunch for four people. I'll look forward to an excuse to get out to Crystal City now to visit again!

Decided to be spontaneous and try a new chained while walking through Arlington. I was seated immediately. I was given time to look over the menu and was skeptical since the previous reviews advised the food is super spicy. All seating is upstairs and it has dim light but while we were there, they end up turning the lights down really low to the point where I couldn't see my food that well. I opted for water to prepare myself (I don't know if they don't serve ice with water but even the waitress who had pitchers of water didn't have ice inside.) For an app I had the Merek. I didn't chose the app but I wish I would have since I am a texture person. It was very soft and mushy with a tangy aftertaste. Although I wasn't a huge fan of it, it may be palatable for others. Since we wanted to explore a wide range of food, we got the meat combo. This was the entrée that was warned about with the heat and other reviews. Now this dish, including my entrée, took a very long time to come out. We waited close to 45 minutes for our food. The appetizer was not piping hot and some of the meats on the combo were not as hot as I would expect it. Nevertheless, there were five meat options to choose from three beef and two chickens. One of the chicken dishes were chicken legs that had boiled eggs in it, which was by far my favorites. None of the meats were overly spicy. In fact, I didn't get a bit of spicy at all which is a good thing because I can't take anything over Texas Pete haha. Both the meat entrée and the appetizer sat on a blanket of their bread. Their bread does have a tangy taste as well. If you have trypophobia, you may want to opt out for the bread. All in all, I give it a four out of five only docking one star for the service.

Make my visit every three to four months when I come to DC to visit family and friends. Enjoy jazz and blues every night except Monday and Tuesday, with good American flavors and knowledgeable bartenders.

It was my first time trying Ethiopian food and I loved it! The injera was sour and chewy. The texture was really special, and the taste reminded me of sourdough bread. We ordered the Enjera Special, Chicken Spris, and Asa Dullet. The Chicken Spris was my favorite. My table agreed that the Asa Dullet was the blandest but still good.

Recently enjoyed the vegetarian combo for two. It was very good but not spectacular. Sambusa's were not impressive. The ambiance is not exotic -- no special seating or trays for eating the platter. The service was appropriate. The bar options seem to be more than adequate. My only criticism is that their Old Fashioned lacked any character or appeal.