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    Abuare Restaurant

    4.8 (70 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 11:00 PM

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    ABUARE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Abuare Restaurant

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    Injera
    Justin R.

    As soon as you step down those steps from U St. into Abuare you know it's going to be . This quaint restaurant offers great Ethiopian food, dine-in, takeout and a full bar. Great friendly service! When you dine in, it feels like you're just having lunch or dinner amongst family. The lamb or beef sambusas are the perfect appetizer. If you want to kick it up a notch, it comes w/ a red hot sauce that is delicious but definitely has some heat to it. Just remember you get one sambusa for $3.50, so make sure to say how many you'd like if ordering more than one. Having a hard time deciding from their menu, I'll help you out and make it simple.... Just order the vegetarian or meat combo. The dishes can easily feed 2-4 people and give you a mix of wonderful flavors. I myself love the Abuare Meat Combo that comes w/ the lamb tibs. But they certainly have a vegetarian combo too.

    Camille C.

    It was our first time having Ethiopian food and we are so happy to have found this spot. Ethiopian food has instantly became my favorite cuisine. At first it was overwhelming, but the friendly and welcoming staff explained the menu. We got the sample platter to start. I loved their yellow lentils and their yummy beef tibs. The injera bread was also super soft and yummy. This is a perfect date night spot! The vibes were very intimate. I also loved that we got to eat with our hands!

    Azam K.

    Food is tasty, came out fast, and the service was patient and kind. The roti was amazing. Veggies were addicting. Ambiance is very homey, feeling not too fancy or too hole in the wall. Very nice art, enough space for comfortable seating. Highly recommend!!

    Alma-aliyah T.

    Highly rated for a reason !! From the drinks to the food, to the service! It was so great. We ordered the meat platter and drinks from the bar. It was amazing! The servers were really kind and attentive, and the music was also very enjoyable. 10/10 would recommend !

    Tibs
    Alan N.

    This was my first time trying Ethiopian cuisine, and it was pretty good. You eat the food by wrapping it with the injera. I asked for a side salad and that's what the tomatoes were, so not sure if they have what you'd typically expect. There are two types of injera made from different flours, one being less sour and more in-line with American bread, and I can recommend that one as the original is too sour for me. Staff are all Ethiopian or Eritrean, and several of the customers were too. Overall interesting experience.

    Linda P.

    I had just wrapped up a photo shoot and wanted to treat my photographer to a late lunch. It was that awkward time of day--too late for lunch, too early for dinner--so I searched for places nearby and this spot popped up. Neither of us had been before, and he had never tried Ethiopian food, so we decided to give it a shot. He was genuinely surprised by the style of food and how it was served--definitely a new experience for him! The portion sizes were huge, the prices were very reasonable, and the flavor? Amazing. You can tell everything is made with care. The restaurant itself is simple--nothing flashy, just a clean, no-frills space with limited seating. There's street parking around, which is a plus in D.C. If you're looking for a quick, flavorful, and affordable meal in the city, this place is a solid choice. Great food, great service, and an easy win for introducing someone to Ethiopian cuisine.

    Lamb
    A'Yanna E.

    We came here after YelpElite SweatBox and the rating is accurate. 4.9! Only reason why not 5 for me is because there could've been more lamb and the waitress spaced on giving her card back...we were deep in convo almost left until I questioned the card. Maybe I hadn't paid attention to the menu at Ethiopian restaurants in the past but I've never seen Ethiopian tea on a menu. I'm a tea girlie so tried it and it is WORTH THE TRY! So good. The lamb vegetable dish was amazing. Seasoned perfectly - not salty, just right. Go, enjoy!!!

    Fish dullet with veggie platter
    Sharon W.

    Located in the Adams-Morgan neighborhood, this location is easily accessible via public transportation. Driving and parking are a headache you put on yourself if you go that route. It's located in a lower level, garden apartment-style setup. The menu could use some clarity. Limited options but with price increases, they stick to what they know. On my first visit, I had a lot of questions and from photos posted online, you'll need to order a veggie platter in addition to your protein option to make it a proper entree. I did have an issue with the veggie platter being $23 for two tablespoons of about six items. Paired with the fish dulet, it was enjoyable and enough for two people to share easily. Because I had the fish dulet and a veggie platter, there was plenty of injera. The decor is eclectic and you'll find yourself studying the wall art trying to decipher what's going on in the images. The bathroom is tiny and could prove to be a challenge if you are a full-figured individual. Not a lot of interaction between the two ladies who were working that day and the patrons. I did have to request a wine glass for my Tej (Honey wine). Why she thought I'd sip it out of the little jug it was in is diabolical. You'll find with some genres of eateries and cultures, no discounts of any kind are promoted. Capable of accepting cash, credit/debit, and contactless pay for payments. No hidden surcharges and an overall pleasant dining experience.

    Beef tibs
    Shawn W.

    One of my favorite places to have some Eritrean/Ethiopian cuisine was Kerens. Sadly a fire happened more than a year ago and the place is still closed for "renovations". So now I am on the hunt to see who makes the best tibs and injera in the DMV and my search landed me at Abuare. This place is located near Adams Morgan and the Reed-Cooke area and if you know the surroundings around U Street then you know there is a large concentration of African eateries in the area. As with any place there are some differences. One of the main differences is that Abuare when compared to other places serving similar cuisine there are no veggies included. I am very use to getting a platter with your choice of meat if you choose. Here if you order lamb tibs or fish dulet it just comes with that (injera included) and no sides. You have to order the sides and I recommend the veggie platter especially if you are sharing. We started with the beef sambusas. They were good and came with a nice spicy sauce that had a little kick that was not overwhelming. Trust me save some for your meal to add that pop. So for our selections I chose the beef tibs and the spouse went with the fish dulet. The food was cooked very well as we shared the veggie platter. The beef was not chewy but I do wish it had a bit more kick but the sauce from the sambusas helped with that. I think they seasoned or marinated the meat before cooking. Another good aspect was that you provided with more than enough injera for your meal. Plenty of times I find myself running out. Maybe it is just me but the prices seemed higher here and perhaps that is just how it is now. I am not very use to an a la carte option for sides but hey every place is different. At least there is not a 22% surcharge added for my convenience then told it is not a tip written inconspicuously on the menu or posted somewhere you will never look. Still the service and food was good and if I do not find other spots to go to this will be my go to for Ethiopian bites. If you enjoy food like this I would highly recommend Abuare.

    Verina B.

    Best Ethiopian food. Very homey restaurant with great Ethiopian food. Crave this all the time. Restaurant is nothing flashy but super authentic. The service is great and quick

    Combo
    Daniel A.

    Flavors are just jumping off the plate here. The combo plate and so many different flavors/textures, was so enjoyable to eat with friends. And some of the dishes were so savory/rich. The lentils were well cooked and each type of food has such distinct flavors. The service was excellent and the restaurant was hardly busy on a Sat afternoon. Delicious!

    Shrimp, awaze tibs, Miser wot (red lentil stew), collard greens. Spiced Tea.
    Kalila W.

    Wow. Abuare must mean perfect because thats what my experience was. Delicious flavors, all foods fresh and distinctly tasteful. Perfect spice level (for me). I ordered the shrimp, and the awaze tibs with side of collards and red lentil. Not only would i get all of these again, but i am excited to try more offerings on future visits (because i WILL be back). And guess what? It was served HOT, not room temp like a lot of places do now. Portions were plenty. The spiced tea is so good i had to get one to go. It was deliciously earthy, spicy, and herbal. Service was kind and welcoming. Ambiance was relaxing and inviting. I hope they are around a while. Definitely will come back next time i have a taste for Ethiopian food.

    A little bit of everything!
    Shebba S.

    I love this place. I visited DC on a nice relaxing trip to get away from the deep south for a while and found this place while strolling! We could smell the aroma from over a block away and decided to walk in as it was too aromatic to pass by! It was one of the best decisions I made on this trip as we were welcomed by our waitress right away. She started off my taking our drink order and talking to us about their vegan options. We opted to go for the platter and share among the group to have a family style experience as the food was plentiful. The bread was the best texture to hold up against those sauces while offering the flavor we all crave when thinking about Injera! The lentils were my favorite and cooked wonderfully with a high flavor profile. The other options were so good that I ate past satisfaction because I wanted the experience to last even longer! The restaurant was clean, which made the experience of eating with my hands better. The restroom was clean and was a shared area that was well maintained for a place like this! We ordered the Bakalava dessert, which was amazingly delightful! It came warmed, which I unexpectedly enjoyed. After having a wonderful meal, we set at the bar and talked about before leaving the restaurant. We got to talk to one of the staff as we awaited our ride, and she was very knowledgeable on things to do on a weekday. We finally got our ride and looked back and talked about this place for the rest of our evening! We eventually went back the day before our plane left and had another wonderful experience. When I visit DC again, I will make it a point to stop here! You should too!

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    4 months ago

    Came for dinner on MLK day and service was fast. Food was delicious. We ordered the deluxe combo with lamb and it was the perfect for two.

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    They are good and very lovely attendance but they still have some stuff to look into I hope they see that and make corrections

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Abuare Restaurant

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    Abuare Restaurant - ethiopian - Updated May 2026

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