Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant

The food is AWESOME. If you want an authentic Ethiopian food and experience, this is the place to come. Everything will remind you of Ethiopia. The people, food and atmosphere. The bar with people sitting there and other people just enjoying themselves drinking coffee or beer. The best place to eat Ethiopian food.. 🇪🇹

When I tell you everything is great... EVERYTHING is GREAT. I have no complaints about the food, but they can definitely get a better drink selection. Add the fried fish with salad to your meal... The Lucy salad

Wandered in randomly after the burger place we wanted to go to was closed for the Fourth of July holiday, glad we did. The food was excellent with generous portions that really hit the spot. Authentic and flavorful all around. The service was a bit inattentive at times, but not enough to ruin the experience. The inside of the place was smoky, as they were roasting coffee beans near the front door. Didn’t try, but it smelled good and plenty others were there just to have some with friends. Overall enjoyed the food and would eat here again.

If you have any food allergy please do not go over here, they don’t value their customers lives, I told the lady that took my order countless times that I don’t eat lemon, I kept telling her because I didn’t want them to make a mistake with my order , but just what did , they added lemon to my salad and lemon slices on top of my fish . Don’t go there.

My boyfriend and I love to go to Lucy's. This restaurant was my first time eating Ethiopian food and I absolutely love it now! The prices are reasonable and the food is delicious and flavorful. The staff is always great! No complaints! Highly recommend!!

The servers are very friendly, and the kitfo I ate was so delicious!

I wish I could give zero star. I don't understand how this place is still open.We order fasting food and waiting for more than 1hr 30min.after she bring the food, we got meat on the food and other spoiled things on it. the quality & taste of the food so bad and obnoxious.When we ask the waiters, they never want to talk or apologize and the owner or manager, knowing and seeing what happened with us, did not want to come and talk. they are so disrespectful & they just focus on money not for customers health safety. i don't recommended for anyone this restaurant. Please be aware

I had an absolutely wonderful experience at this Ethiopian restaurant! The authentic gluten free & organic injera perfectly tangy, paired beautifully with rich and flavourful stews. If your a meat lover the kitfo & the Dereq Tibs but every dish was bursting with authentic taste — you can tell everything is made with love & tradition. The atmosphere was cozy & vibrant, a perfect setting to enjoy such comforting food. We also had coffee with jebena absolutely traditional & tasteful Whether you’re new to Ethiopian cuisine or a longtime fan, this place is a gem that will leave you full and happy. Highly recommended!

My partner and I road-tripped for our anniversary to DC and was looking for a late night meal. We stumbled on this restaurant that was open and still serving food. We had gotten the chekena tibs and awaze tibs with our kind and hosptiable waitress's recommendation. Mind you, it's about 1am. The food came out quickly and was hot, I'm not sure which is which but they both were well seasoned and absolutely delicious. I would've loved some rice to sop up all that yummy sauce and green spicy sauce. It was such a pleasant surprise to have something new and truly feel nourished from it. Also we had gotten drinks I wine and a shot but my partner got a tequila lime, which he says was nice and strong. The music was beautiful but a lil loud where it was hard to hear the waitress and one another. Otherwise a great time and good opener to our visit.

The food was authentic and really tasty. I enjoyed most of what we tried. Both the beef tips and vegetable combo were great but the chicken was a little bit overcooked. There was also a woman roasting coffee and it was really good. Our server was nice and helpful as well, and I'd definitely try it again!

Food was unrecognizable i could NOT eat! When i called the owner he Said it was a organic baby chicken! I almost died for that! He promise to refund my money he did not

Since the last time I reviewed (in 2013), the ownership appears to have changed. The social atmosphere is not what it once was. It is more formal now.. Some patrons prefer that. The food is still great! Please enjoy this experience.

Food is so delicious wonderful service and vibes and it smells so good inside the restaurant

Food in Lucy is 100% fabulous! I had my very first Ethiopian food experience of my life this early spring in Lucy. I must say Ethiopian food is a taste sensation! They are incredibly tasty! Ethiopian food is on my second love food list, even if I am not a fan of the sour sponge bread. If the owner read my comment here: can you please clean your restaurant windows? And renew the shop sign a bit?

Everything was top tier delicious! The customer service and atmosphere were amazing. I highly recommend trying this spot!

From inattentive staff to terrible food this place is a hard pass. - The lentil sambusa arrived frozen in the center. - The main dishes took a long time to come out from the kitchen. - The spinach in the veggie combo had a very fishy taste. - our check at the end of the night was incorrect and took over 20 min to fix. There are plenty other Ethiopian cuisine options nearby that are so much better. Better to pass on this!

Went here with my cousin on 11/19/33 around 9:30pm. Most of the customer base was Ethiopian. Ive never had Ethiopian. The decor was the appealing nor welcoming. Your welcome to seat wherever you like. When I walked in I was smacked by the incense being burnt. Our server came over and went over the menu options but it was kind of hard to hear her over eh music. I ordered rum and coke. My cousin ordered bottle water. We ordered the vegan combination for the table. Rum and coke strong ad fudge. Now that vegan combination was so good. The beets were flavorful. Who would have ever thought beets would be that's good. The curry was good too but the lentil mixtures were by far my favorites. Definitely a intimate spot and I would highly recommend this spot. They could work on the customer service. Wasn't terrible but could use some improvement. Prior to departure they started to play live music. Date night friendly. I will definitely visit again. My total bill was 47.51. Affordable eating.

Food was okay, they ran out of doro wat which we really wanted to try. We asked them to explain the dishes as it was our first time, and it felt very rushed and did not really explain it well. Service was slow.

I have also been here with my mother back in 2015 after I moved in and found the food less impressive compared to other places. I ended up coming back here with my father and wife for lunch before he left town after our wedding in late March as we walked into here rather than Langano next door which is one of our favorites. The food seemed better than several years ago however I now eat meat in non kosher restaurants and stuck to vegetarian or fish options before. I remember sharing the Yebeg Girgiro and something else with my wife and perhaps something else with my father as well. I also had a cranberry juice to drink. It is still not quite worthy of a five star review like several other places in the Downtown Silver Spring but still a good place overall. Personally I'll likely go to the other places as there is a big selection of Ethiopian restaurants in DTSS including a few I have yet to try.

I stopped here late one night, it was the only place open on my way home that wasn't fast food. I'm so glad I did! The food was delicious! I ordered beef tibs, they came out so quickly, and it was so tasty. They came with rice, onions, tomatoes, and some pepper sauce. The pepper isn't too spicy. Great ratio of meat to rice. And the cubes of meat are a good size too. Not too big, not too small. I'm excited to come back and try new food here!

Ohhhh how I cringe at writing reviews that are below 3 stars, but the last experience was...how do I put this...gross? The food is overpriced and had an odd taste. While the presentation is up to par, the quality is not. The vegetables tasted as if the food was cooked in a pan with burnt veggies. Veggie platters are usually my go-to for Ethiopian food, and unfortunately while this establishment delivers (through Postmates) they don't deliver in taste. The tibs sandwich also left something to be desired. Red meat typically has more flavor, but for some reason this time it didn't. Maybe they didn't let it marinate long enough? Who knows. $23 wasted, and that's not counting the tip and delivery fee. Never again :(

Came here with a few friends and ordered the veggie combo and tibs. Service was fast and food was delicious. The coffee was great too and the ambience inside the store is quite pretty. Check them out!

The food is ah-ma-zing, I love Ethiopian food and I am always looking forward to the Ethiopian restaurants . We ordered the veggie platter with tibs and it was superb. Our waiter took our drinks and food order on time (not a long wait) and the food arrived at a good time. She also took out family picture for us! She was friendly and was happy to serve us with a smile. The place had lots of people and everyone was enjoying themselves. The place is beautiful and seats were comfortable. I would absolutely come back!

I've only been to this establishment 3 times. My first 2 experiences were wonderful. The 1st experience the waitress recommended a dish which I enjoyed and the 2nd I had their deep fried tilapia which was pretty bad. My 3rd experience however was disappointing especially since I usually stop in after a long day at work. Stopped in & ordered the b. shiro and sambusa. The order came out & it was jst shiro which is basically their chickpeas warmed up in a hot pot and Enjera. I waved the waitress down and explained my order was incorrect and was missing the beef and spice to the chickpeas ( I'm dealing w/ a cold so I really needed the kick from the spices). She mentioned she can add beef but it'll jst be 4 sm. pieces lol and when it returned it literally was lol 4 sm. flavorless pieces that were barely visible. Appeared to me they jst found some beef in the back, threw it in a pan, dropped it in the flavorless chickpeas and brought it out. I've never written a review b/f but needed to b/c it's important for them to be aware and course correct. Yes, my 24.36 & 10% may not seem like a big deal to them but for someone who is jst getting back into the workforce again it is. Plus based on this experience I'll jst take my business elsewhere going forward and try the many other Ethiopian restaurants that's in silver springs and the surrounding area.

Use to be my favorite sport however I went yesterday and for the second to time in a row they have sold me old molding injera and moldy vegetables for my vegan platter. I'm convinced nothing there is fresh.

Lucy's has great food and atmosphere. They have really friendly staff as well. I've been here twice for lunch and had really great meals.

Had dinner there recently with friends on a Friday night and the place was filled with sewer flies. Asked the waiter to move table but was forced to swat flies as we ate. The food is decent, but they will have to deal with this issue or I will take my friends to other Ethiopian restaurants in Silver Spring.

Delicious food, engaging & attending wait staff, clean & inviting atmosphere, live music on Thursday nights.

Not the best. Could get better food elsewhere. Service was weak. Food was sour. Needs improvement.

Had this place bookmarked and decided to finally give them a try a few days ago with another foodie! I enjoy this cuisine, although I must admit it took some time before I got to truly enjoy and appreciate it. Located in an area with so many other options for Ethiopian food, I couldn't help but wonder how do they even compete?! On a Monday evening, it wasn't super packed so getting seated right away wasn't an issue. There were a few other patrons. The space is cozy and intimate and there is some outdoor seating. I enjoyed our meal. We shared the awaze lamb and beef tibs with a side of tomato salad and cabbage. For the most part, everything was tasty. I found the beef to be a little too dry, but it was still flavorful. I asked for extra awaze sauce on the side and I thought it would have been a tad bit spicier but it was still good. They bring a basket of injera with the meal and we ended up needing a few extras (no charge). I like that they offer vegan options here. I have a friend who also shares a love for Ethiopian food so next time she's in town, Lucy could be an option. I would say they could improve on their service. Right after handing us menus, our server was ready for us to place our order and when we stated we needed just a few more minutes, she disappeared for like 20 minutes. This won't stop me from coming back here again, but the overall experience wasn't anything for me to brag about!

The service was awesome especially the food was very good I enjoyed sitting down at the bar the bartenders for a very friendly I sat there drinking six beers everybody was so polite I recommend coming back and eating her again to my family my friends

Came here for a late night meal with friends. It was a Saturday so there was karaoke which was fun. Everyone inside was friendly and having a great time. The food was delicious. Full honesty this was the last stop of the evening so I don't remember everything I ate lol. But it was all delicious! The one thing I do remember were the lamb tibs, which I will go back for again!

My friend and I are on a quest to find the best Ethiopian food in the DMV. This place is going on the "Do Not Return" list. Service was terrible. We should have left when the hostess asked us where we want to sit and after we answered she went behind the bar as though we never said anything. I walked up after a few minutes and asked should we seat ourself and she said "Yea." The food was lackluster. The red lentils, usually my fave, has a weird bitter taste and the greens were bland. After we were served, the waitress disappeared and we had to flag her down. Waste of time and money.

I found myself at Lucy's in downtown Silver Spring, MD for an Ethiopian escapade that was so worth it, along with a friend who tagged along, to satisfy a pregnancy urge to have Ethiopian cuisine. I am very familiar with their Bethesda location (now closed), where the food was always great and my prayers were that the Silver Spring location was just as good. The décor was simple, chill and perfect to meet friends for a family style lunch/dinner with Ethiopian music blasting through the overhead speakers. For starters, Lucy's Sambusas are one of my favorites! Sambusas are thin dough shells stuffed with a blend of minced lentils or minced beef, green chili, herbs and lightly fried in vegetable oil. We requested 2 of the Minced Beef Sambusas though we thought they were a bit pricy at $3.50/piece however their size justified the cost. They were pretty large and completely filled with beef with juices dripping after each bite. The mild and hot dipping sauces were also amazing. I wanted to order 10 more to go but we were served the very last 2 beef sambusas. It was quite disappointing, especially since the restaurant had just opened at 12pm. The entrée I always go for is the Girgiro Beef, which is one of their specialty platters. The beef cubes are marinated with the Chef's special seasoning, cooked with spices, hot pepper, tomatoes and onions served on a sizzling oven. I also added two Vegan options to my order: Collard Greens and Shiro Wot (if I remember correctly). Corinne ordered the Yebeg Tibs, which are tender lamb cubes fried with spices, hot pepper, onions and berbere. Everything was outstanding, served hot, tasty and definitely hit the spot for the both of us. Both orders were served with Injera, which is made with teff flour and similar to a crepe with a spongy texture. It is also an Ethiopian and Eritrean staple. You bet I'll be visiting Lucy's again very soon!

Lucy's was our introduction to Ethiopian food. I dont have much experience to compare Lucy's to other restaurants, but our family really love Lucy's! We've been back multiple times (but not since the pandemic - we haven't gone out much, but hope to start venturing out again soon). Each time, we get a combo and we've never been disappointed. Can't wait to return!

I've been coming here for a couple years and honestly the food is good. I like the friendly waitresses although the service can be a bit slow at times. The 2 stars were due to their disgusting bathroom with so many flies/gnats in and around the bathroom. There is never adequate soap to wash your hands with at a restaurant where you mainly eat with your hands. BATHROOM IS DISGUSTING!!! Will Not coming back here ever again.

I just want to know WHY are sambusas $3 for ONE!? I went here with my friends, who were visiting from Arizona. We were craving food and thought why not support habesha business. Well that was a bad idea cause when I ordered sambusas...it only came out with one. Do you know how ridiculous that is??? One sambusa for $3?!?!? I asked to speak to a manager and the waitress refused. Honestly The food is good...but I wouldn't return.

I liked the food here, but service needs improvement. Service wasn't awful, but very lackadaisical. I've had Ethiopian food before, but I can never remember the names of dishes or keep track of what's what. Our waitress wasn't super helpful with explaining the menu - while we didn't explicitly say, "Help! We're not that familiar with Ethiopian food, please explain!", I think it showed on our confused faces, and was evident when we asked numerous questions about menu items. Then once we decided on what to order, she followed up with questions on how we wanted it prepared: Waitress: Juicy or regular? Friend: What's the difference? Waitress: One's juicy, and one's regular. Friend: Juicy? We ordered the beef sambusa for an appetizer and then two platters: the "any three" combo (key wot, kitfo, and tibs) and vegan combo. We wanted to try both the lentil and the beef sambusas, but they were out of the lentil one. The beef sambusa was similar to a Jamaican beef patty. *Note to self: kitfo is raw beef.* (I don't mind, but some people do.) Of the proteins, my favorite was the lamb (tibs). Overall though, I preferred the vegan combo over the meat one; my favorites were the yellow split peas and collard greens. The servings are generous and the two platters had enough food for our party of four. I also love the injera (sourdough, crepe-like but spongier) and our waitress was kind enough to bring us another basket when our table ran out. I find Ethiopian food to be spicy, so the water went quick at our table. Refills were a hot commodity, and only seemed to be provided upon request. Waitresses weren't paying attention to customers and were busy chatting behind the counter. At one point, after trying to get their attention for awhile, I thought one of the waitresses was finally going to come over, but instead she was coming around to give a friend a hug. When we finally got their attention to request a refill and held up our drink cups to signal more water, the waitress came over with a pitcher and left it on the table for us to pour ourselves... I really don't think we were being high maintenance, but it would've been a nice gesture to pour it for us before setting it on the table. We were there around 8pm on a Saturday, which is considered a late dinner to me, but the place started filling up afterwards. Word on the street is they have live music at 10pm on weekends. Even though I liked the food, there are plenty of other Ethiopian restaurants in the area, so I think I'll try out those instead; service is a deterrent here.

I believe that they are under new management. The food quality has greatly deteriorated. I ordered the yatekilt wot and it looked as if was sitting for a few days. Such a shame, because Lucy's was ALWAYS fresh. I ordered Sambusas, and they gave them to me in a container that wouldn't close. When I grabbed hold of my bag, the sambuses fell out and onto the ground. They were reluctant to replace the items and said "I don't think you have time to wait." The insult of the passive-aggressive response and the lackluster food turned an Ethiopian-food lover irretrievably in any other direction but here. Furthermore, my experience turned what was once "I love Lucy," to "Go home roger."

Shared boiled egg from Doro Wat, which is a chicken stew with leg & hard boiled egg during lunch. Cut piece of leg & shared it as well. Leg was chewy & after cutting rest up, it was RAW. Lost appetite & left. They did take dish off (why pay for what you didn't have? it's minimum of what they should do). Fast forward later yesterday evening, body ache, stomach pain, diarrhea, & nausea. Oh, called to inform management. Response: "what would you like me to do?" Called MC Dept of Health. Then called Lucy back. Owner said "don't call me again. Call police next time." WOW.

This place is one of my favorites to get food from however it's hit or miss with the calling in to place and order. Every time I call to place an order literally they end up hanging up on me which is weird. I have never had any issues going to the building to order food and sit down though and again the food is very very good. I mostly get Sambusa, Veggie Combo, and Doro Wot and literally it's so good. I had to slow down eating there so much.

I've walked past this spot a million times and, for some reason, I've never tried it. A coworker suggested Lucy based on a recommendation she received, so we decided to come here for a lunch date. We arrived around noon, so it was still pretty empty, but it filled up as the lunch hour progressed. Both my coworker and I ordered the vegetarian lunch platter and it was amazing! So flavorful, so filling, and so on point. There was even a gluten-free injera option for my coworker who cannot consume gluten. My favorite were the lentils and potato dish...I wish I remembered the names of the dishes, but uh, yeah. When I come back (and, I am coming back), I think I will definitely try one of the lamb dishes. p.s. Based on my one experience, I would not expect a high-quality serving experience. But, it is still worth it and they were very helpful in helping to select a dish.

WARNING!! Lucy has new owners and they are TERRIBLE! Customer service is below standard and so is the food. We knew from the moment they answered the phone that this restaurant had to be under new owners because of how unprofessional the girls were. They must be relatives of the new owners and they didn't care to properly train them. Let's get to the point. We ordered kitfo leb leb and Beef Tibs with a specific side. They gave us raw kitfo and LAMB tibs with the WRONG side. We drove 25 minutes away only to come home and find out they messed up our order. I called right away to let them know but their phone kept giving a busy signal. called the next day and was told manager isn't there but would call me. I NEVER got a call back. the worst part is this was their second time messing up. I'm DONE! No more Lucy. I miss the old owners- they were humble folks who served QUALITY food and understood what customer service meant.

The place has a nice bar vibe. Stopping by for a drink, listening to music, meeting friends, that's fine. As far as food...hmm. Went to Silver Spring to visit a friend. Was passing by Lucy restaurant and thought it was awhile since i had Ethiopian food. Came in, looked at menu and ordered Balageru to go described as "tender beef ribeye". 40 minutes later the food arrived. Another 10 minutes passed to get the bill which included beer charge that i never ordered. Was refunded the cost of beer in cash, but it took additional time. All in all wasted an hour waiting. Came home looking forward to enjoy the food. Meat was tough and chewy. Certainly no ribeye, but inferior much cheaper cut of meat Was tired of chewing it. It came with onions and injera. Some spices on the side. Could not finish and dumped half of it in garbage. As a bar this place is ok, but avoid ordering food there.

This has been my absolute #1 spot for eating out during COVID! I'm vegetarian and always get the Veggie Combo. I would recommend it to vegetarians (I believe it's vegan as well!) and meat-eaters alike -- it offers so much variety, color, and flavor. It includes gomen, tomato salad, lentil, cabbage, split peas, yatekilt wot, beets and azifa. It's also big enough to split with another person! I'm not sure what the restaurant atmosphere itself is like (never dined in) but I will enthusiastically vouch for the Veggie Combo any day.

It was my first time eating Ethiopian and wasn't sure what to expect. I was with my daughter and she had been there before. She ordered different dishes and they were all wonderful.

The dirtiest bathroom ever seen. There were flies and gnats. Someone need to report to State food Safety to inspect the restaurant properly.

The food is okay not like before the salad was very small look like a side. The worst thing is the bathrooms are filthy have mold and flies every where. I am wondering how they pass the restaurant inspection.

Filthy restaurant with mice droppings everywhere. Used toothpicks on the floor. Used dirty napkins and empty bottles next to the dining tables. Food is terrible too plus overpriced. I wouldn't go back again.

I had the yebeg kikil (simmered lamb cuts in a slightly spicy green sauce with injera) and my parents ordered the three combo (lentils, some vegetables, ground beef, shredded beef, and cuts of beef). Everything was delicious (ground beef was the spiciest) but the combo came with an alarming amount of injera . We ended up not being able to finish the entire combo meal.

Wow- this place was hopping! On a street with easily a half dozen other Ethiopian restaurants, this was the only one that was so busy on a Thursday night. Sure, it was the New Year celebration, but then all other Ethiopian restaurants should have been so busy! The fact that they weren't so busy just confirms that this place lives up to the reviews! The reason for deducting a star was because I had asked for the Ethiopian injera, all teff, but the bottom layer was still the regular injera. The Ethiopian injera costs $3, so the extra cost had been paid but not the full benefit given. Anyhow, the green lentils were the best green lentils I have had in recent memory at an Ethiopian restaurant!!! The collards were the spiciest preparation I had ever had, and they were delicious! The spicing for the red lentils was good. The tikil gomen was the crispest ever, and I liked that preparation. The tomato salad was fresh, and the yellow split peas had good flavor without too much salt. The potatoes with carrots and green beans were interesting because the potatoes were fried first. All in all, the service was super friendly and the food was satisfying. I loved the Ethiopian injera, gluten free, and the dairy free veg sampler! Awesome!

Don't come to this place. The worst customer service ever! They're extremely rude and act like they're giving out charity for something you're paying for. They threatened to hit me with a bottle when I asked for my money back after being charged for something without my knowledge. Too many Ethiopian restaurants in the area to choose from that actually show Ethiopian hospitality, this is place is not it! Don't waste your time here unless you're looking to be embarrassed.

Came here for lunch today and loved it! Took a long time for the food to be prepared but that's typical for Ethiopian restaurants in my experience. Three of Us ordered the four combination platter which was more than enough. Got the kitfo, doro wot, tibs, dulet and veggie sides of lentils and collard greens. They all tasted great. Got the meat cooked medium. Injera was good, and our servers were very nice. Definitely coming back soon!

Let me be clear I am well versed in Ethiopian cuisine and this is by far one of the very worst restaurants I have EVER been to in a very competitive heavy populated Ethiopian area. Even with purchasing a Groupon still ended up paying upwards to $50 with a crappy bottle of wine. The customer service is NON-existent and the food was decent but I definitely had better. The customer service and lack of knowledge was the driver for this 1 star rating along with the food being in grand mediocre for my 1908545 previous experiences. The waitress eventually dismissed us and stopped returning which was disappointing because I came with someone who wanted to be educated on the cuisine because they were a newbie and I didn't feel like explaining (SUE ME I was hungry...) - Not enough tibs to share - Also all these 'GLOWING' reviews seem to be from first timers, non responsive patrons (Oh everything is fine person no matter what is happening..) and people having a multi party experience 4+ people. - Samosas were on point - If using Groupon be aware the whole menu does not apply to what you may or may not have in mind. They may need to consult with themselves and figure this out or make a Groupon menu.

I love it, I had some fish that was so good that I went back another time and got it again it's very good cube fry fish in a tomatoes and onion sauce really good. Thank you for good food.

Food is always great great! The servers know exactly what to choose for you especially when you're confused LOL Portion sizes we're big enough for my friend and I not only to split it for dinner but also bring some home as well. This platter was only $40 for 2 people and definitely worth it.

Lack of Cleanliness, Bland food, extremely small portions for the price. Floor dirty, bathroom wasn't clean, food may not be prepared in a healthy manner either..