This place is awful. They repeatedly host loud live music (think a full band and drum kit on a patio that is the size of your average studio apartment) and management is rude, unresponsive, and disrespectful. We have attempted to address this issue by phone and in person and have been hung up on and physically pushed out of the restaurant. In fact, the most recent time I called to speak to them about the incredibly loud drumming, I was told that a manager wasn't even on the premises...which is a violation of liquor laws. To have such a great neglect for the neighbors and the county ordinances is bad enough but to be dismissive and combative about it is even worse. read more

3.5 stars I came here on a Friday night with my boyfriend and my aunt for a casual night out for catching up and enjoying good food. We did enjoy many things about our meal here, but there were also definitely some shortcomings of this restaurant that affected our experience. The decor was actually very charming, with very attractive decorative pieces on the walls and a cute bar. The tables were great for gathering as a group and sharing conversation over a nice meal, the chairs were comfortable, and there were little side tables where each person could put their stuff. The atmosphere is very laid back and pleasant. Unfortunately, so was the service. Our waitress was friendly enough, but there was definitely no rush to get us our food or even a move to fill our waters. Since most Ethiopian food is not cooked to order and it wasn't all that packed, there wasn't really much reason for the food to take so long to come out. Luckily we were there to have a long, casual night, but we were also itching for food when we got there and were disappointed with the length of the wait. Now for the food. We did start with some drinks while we waited for our food, and though we enjoyed the very sweet honey wine and the Ethiopian beer, all of the alcohol was wildly overpriced ($8 for each glass of honey wine, for example). The food was generally pretty good. The injera was excellent--soft and spongy for picking up all of the rest of the food. The dishes are big and beautiful in their presentation, and there is definitely plenty of food to go around. My boyfriend and I shared a vegetarian combo platter, which had its pluses and minuses. The salad was very nice and well-dressed. The lentils and the split peas both had nice flavor and were really enjoyable, but the potatoes and the collard greens seemed under-seasoned. My aunt ordered a meat dish, and while the meat was tasty, the vast majority of the dish was a pile of collard greens in a clear liquid. She didn't end up eating most of it because the greens were uninteresting at best. Overall, we had a really nice time and I would definitely go back to give it another try. That being said, I imagine that there are far better Ethiopian restaurants in Silvery Spring and/or in DC, and I would rather spend my time and money in those restaurants than in Abyssinia. read more

There are so many great choices for Ethiopian in Silver Spring and Abyssinia just isn't in the top tier. We came here because there were waits at our old standards and we hadn't tried it yet; now we know why it is generally not as crowded. We ordered the Abyssinia kitfo raw, which had the cheese, onions and peppers mixed into it. I definitely prefer when the cheese is separate and you get to mix it in yourself, though they did give us the pepper sauce. It wasn't as buttery and delicious as kitfo can be, and the texture was less smooth than I'd like. We also had a vegetarian combo, which I found to be generally a bit bland. The music was loud but the space didn't really have any energy to it. The lights were down super low because but they were eventually turned up. Not a bad restaurant but just not nearly up to the standards of similar places just a couple doors down. read more

**This review is based Solely on the Vegetarian Items** The service started off nice, Though as any restaurant that gets busier as time goes on, the waitress' quickly found themselves in the weeds. A very bland platter, (we got the Veg sampler) filled with the usual suspects: Lentils 3 ways, potatoes, cabbage. All bland, with none of those earthy toned aromas or flavours that we are used to in Ethiopian food.. We had heard a lot of praise for this establishment, though as for strict veg, it was a boring night. Again, my disclaimer, as I have heard great things about the rest of the food: **This review is based Solely on the Vegetarian Items** read more

Nice waitresses, good food, well decorated, just wish they had their own parking lot but street parking is OK just tough finding a spot sometimes. read more

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Last weekend, I came in for dinner and had the veggie platter. To my surprise, it was absolutely delicious and reasonably priced. The owner greeted me, and his waitstaff were pleasant. There was entertainment that evening too. For that moment, it felt like I was at a restaurant in Addis Ababa. I had an awesome experience, great food, entertainment and friendly patrons. Definitely visit if you're in downtown Silver Spring. read more

I've been to several Ethiopian places in D.C. and Silver Spring, and this is my favorite. The injera is real (not the dried out stuff with wheat flour mixed in), the raw kitfo is spicy, and the honey wine is flowing. They also have a full bar, and great decor and atmosphere. If you come at the right time there's also live music! My favorite dishes are the Abyssinia kitfo (always get it raw), and the Abyssinia tibs, which is made with lamb cooked in an amazing, spicy wine sauce. I also love their lentils. read more

We had quite an enjoyable experience sitting outside in a well-shaded area on Memorial Day for lunch. The food was new to us so we chose something that the next table had, Golden Tips, which was a grilled lamb, a bit of salads and the Ethiopian bread. The St. George beer is Ehtiopian, they said, and an ok lager. It is a friendly place where we struck up a conversation with two different tables and exchanged book recommendations about Ethiopia and other African countries. We will go back. read more

so a friend and I were in the mood for some Drinks and Ethiopian food. I have spent some time at Abyssinia before but only in the late evening. Nice atmosphere, not to loud or rowdy the guests are usually a little more mature. During the summer they even had live music outside, pretty sweet! So going in I was pretty familiar with the vibe but I have never eaten there. It was a Tuesday night around 8pm there are a few tables that have a more "Traditional" feel, I was shooting for one of those but they were all taken. So we just grabbed a regular table. We were still in happy hour there were about 15-20 others there eating and mingling, so it was a nice setting. I don't like eating in a place that's empty. The service was nice and prompt, we only had a small dish, beef Tibs with veggies and Wat not sure of the actual name. Everything was very fresh a very well-seasoned. I wish we had ordered more. Over all it was a very nice experience, it all felt very authentic from the music, to the décor, to the food. We will be back, I'm sure. Good job Abyssinia! read more

The owner is a really sweet person.. Their was a Dj playing (jah sound I think ), I must say them guys play good. The owner must have good taste. The employees are very welcoming. It's big lounge so we are usually in the back part. The hookah is nice. But their drinks alil pricey. I enjoy coming to Abyssinia . There was a lil incident while we was their but security handle it very well and for that I'm sure they deserve five stars from me. People are gonna find little reason to put a business down. But me I go based on personality and services . I must say service is excellent . read more

No way. Went there with a Living Social deal so I wasn't prepared to be thrilled. Service was confusing. Food was mediocre though plentiful. The worst part was that 20 minutes after ordering a bottle of white wine, it still had not come - when we asked about it, we were blown off. Next we witnessed the server coming in with a black bag, which held our wine that they had to go purchase from the grocery store because they were apparently out. The wine was brought to our table still hot...gross. We totally understood being out of something...but why not just TELL US and ask us to order something else? Very strange. I won't go back. read more

I am a fan. The staff were very curtious and fast. The location very convient. The food above average and for the sports fans check out the back room for euro succer. read more

I liked the outside seating on a warm spring day. You can watch the world go by on Georgia Avenue and enjoy some good Ethiopian food at this restaurant. Friendly owner and the restaurant was not very busy, when I came. it was late in the afternoon. Simple decor, with tables and chairs picnic style. The owner promptly took my order or Doro Wat, a marinated chicken curry kind of dish that tasted good and not too oily or spicy. It came on a bed of Injera and boiled greens. There are many other Ethiopian restaurants around. This was a good experience here. read more

Wandered in for lunch on New Year's Day when many of the other nearby Ethopian restaurants were closed. The portions were huge and reasonably priced. The lamb was quite good, and the vegetarian combo was solid but unspectacular. With so many options in Silver Spring, I'm not sure if I'd return to Abyssinia -- but if you're craving Ethiopian food, you could do much worse. read more

Free live music on Mondays in the back bar is awesome! Very intimate and volume is perfect. The band is so joyful. The food is tasty and portions are huuuge. The lamb and rice are especially good. read more

We were so happy to have discovered Abyssinia through Groupon. We have been on a quest to find great Ethiopian closer to home and outside the U Street/Adams Morgan corridor. The others we've tried have been decent, but we ended up feeling like they were just a substitute at the end of the meal. Abyssinia was GREAT! The food is definitely comparable to our favorites in DC. The staff was very friendly. We were the only non-Ethiopians there, but didn't feel like outsiders at all. The best part is that they are open until 1:30am Sun-Thur and 2:30am Fri and Sat. We are thrilled to find a delicious replacement for late night mediocre Chinese! We arrived at 9:30pm on a Sunday night worried they wouldn't still be serving, but much to our surprise, people kept pouring in as we ate. It was actually packed by the time we left. We had the veggie combo platter. We've been using this as our test dish everywhere. We've figured if they pass the veggie test, it would be worth going back to try some meat dishes. They had all of our favorites in the veggie platter, and every item was delicious. They were attentive about keeping the injera flowing. We didn't have to constantly ask for it like we do at other Ethiopian restaurants. Everything had the perfect spice level too. Good kick, but not too hot. Definitely recommend Abyssinia to anyone trying to find a closer-to-home alternative to the DC standards. If you haven't tried Ethiopian before, try this place. Order a combo platter...you can't go wrong. Friendly, delicious, great atmosphere, great location, late hours...thus 5 stars! read more

A good night was ruined by two things, the waitress could not keep accurate count of our drinks. Each lady on the table had a drink and we were three ladies but we were charged for 5 but the highlight was when the owner walked to our table and said "you have to get out". Yes, we were still sitting in their establishment after business hours and yes it's ok for them to ask us to leave but the delivery and choice of words were unacceptable. This establishment was starting to become one of our favorites in that area but we can easily take our business elsewhere. The options are endless. read more

Hey, look, another Ethiopian restaurant in Silver Spring! Abyssinia is one of the newer places downtown, and we had to give them a try. I've been a few times, and the food is quite good! They've got some nice combination platters (vegetarian, meat, and mixed) to let you try different dishes. It's a lot of food, and generally I've learned that if something says it's for 2 people, it'll easily serve 3. Their platter that was labeled for one person was an insane amount of food! I love the kitfo (raw ground beef with butter and spices) because they offer several different varieties. The music can be really loud, and sometimes they're showing weird things like Nickelodeon kids' shows on the TV. They have regular tables as well as more traditional baskets. I'm definitely a fan. read more

Don't know what's up with all the negative reviews. This is the best Ethiopian restaurant in Silver Spring. The food is delicious and ample, and they have no problems sitting large groups (I had a party of 12). Depending on the night of the week, sometimes you don't even need reservations. Only once the waitress seemed confused when we asked her to replace the Tibs because we wanted it raw and she had brought it cooked (but we are Americans; Americans don't like raw beef), but she didn't charge us for the mix-up. read more

This is one of the best places in the city. Especially during the summer months when it opens up for outside seating. The owner is extremely helpful and provides amazing customer service. There's a hookah spot in the back and the front host the restaurant. Your getting the best of both worlds. read more

Favorite hookah spot! We love the owner and the staff. The food is great too! They have an amazing Jamaican band play on Friday evenings (outside when the weather is nice), and an authentic Ethiopian band play on Saturday nights. They don't skimp on the alcohol in your drinks, so head over to Abyssinia and enjoy some hookah, a cool drink and good music :-) read more

The ambiance was neat, and the food was very good. Particularly the fried lamb dish that we had.

DO NOT GO HERE. My sister and boyfriend went here to get a drink. The server asked for ID. They presented their Irish passports. The server gave the passports to the manager. The manager ask them for their VISA. They informed him the were there on holidays and did not have a VISA. The manager told them that there is a law that says you have to have a VISA to drink in any Montgomery county bar. I researched and asked around and there is no law that says that. I am very frustrated that the manager would lie to them and send them away. They went to other bars and were served without being asked for a VISA. So the manager was just lying and did not want to serve them, for whatever reason. That is not good business practice. read more

I had a great time eating dinner here with my friends. They have authentic seating and food. It was a wonderful experience. The service is very good and the servers are very kind. I recommend getting the dinner for 2 or 3 (your party size) because it comes with a variety and allows you to try lots of things. The spices were perfect and not too hot for my wimpy mouth. read more

I enjoyed everything about this place. The atmosphere is nice - they have wicker chairs and woven baskets on the tables, and a cute awning over the bar. The servers are all really friendly and attentive. The food was some of the best Ethiopian food we've had in the area. We had the messob platter for two, which came with a bunch of different meats and veggies. The greens were excellent, and the doro wat was great. I liked the beef dishes, as well. There's free parking in a lot behind the restaurant, which is a nice perk. read more

great atmosphere and deco. The food was okay...but something super bitter in the doro wat...steer clear if bitterness is not your cup of tea...also, 2/3 of our tray was covered in it although it was a sampler platter...maybe worth another shot sans doro wat? read more

Good Ethiopian Restaurant. We used to get a Groupon non veg platter minus the pork and beef. The food is good, maintains its authenticity. People serving are good as well. The ambiance goes perfectly well with food. read more

Enjoyed the Keyena Alicha: combo of Yebere tibs, Keye wat and Baklava. Also the live music by Maurice, Philippa, & Friends.

After my second time there, I can say their food left a better impression on me. The service was very good, no complaints there. We had the messob platter, I enjoyed everything apart from the lamb and greens. May just go there again, who knows. read more

First time eating Ethiopian food and probably my last. I had the vegetarian platter and it was "meh". The salad was very good and that's pretty much it. It may be just that Ethiopian food isn't for me. The honey wine was a little too sweet for my liking. read more

Every Monday night there is a great live band. They let you perform during a segment. It's the low key chill spot in Silver Spring. They don't advertise, it's a word of mouth thing put together by a company called MightyHIP. Happens in the back of the restaurant. An awesome band from Italy named "Underdog" did a free concert this past summer. Bands that tour and perform at SXSW and Bonnaroo play this little room because they are one of the few Monday night gigs. I saw "RANN", "The Rivers Band", "Hilla the Killa", "The Nightmare Police", "Lily Virginia", "Brooks Long", "Jah Works" and they have a great house band called "OnThe1". The bar in the back is like a secret hideaway, hookah room/concert hall with red walls. HipHop, Alt Rock, Folk, Blue Grass, Jazz, Gangsta Rap, Reggae you name it. Different nights have themes Dreadrock night is metal/punk rock and hosted by a singer/band named REX. Drinks are cheap and they sell wings and fries if you aren't into Ethiopian food. Friday and Saturday nights they have two specific reggae bands at the restaurant. read more

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The kitfo that I had was really good and I thoroughly enjoy the karaoke on a weekday night! I'll definitely be back soon.

Another Ethopian restaurant in Silver Spring! I actually went here thinking it was a different one. The service was better than the other, and the food was just as good -- which is to say, great! I had the vegetarian platter, and like at their competitors, it's really too much food for one person. I was very hungry, though, and it was delicious, so I ate it all and was quite satisfied. read more

Came here for my birthday dinner. Wanted to try something a bit different. Was really looking forward to the food seeing that I heard a lot about it. We got the traditional bread one platter. I got beef and my husband chicken. Food was pretty bland. Did nothing for our taste buds. The best thing on the plate was the potatoes. Was pretty disappointed. read more

I, have eaten at 99 percent of the Ethiopian places & I love this one by far.the food,the people are nice.unlike most of the others in the area. read more

I have been here 4 times and always sit at the bar. service is excellent and the food is very good. I try something new each time but my favorite is the lamb dish with jalepenos mixed in. I cant wait to go back! read more

Great authentic Ethiopian food here. The injera is very fresh and the Ethiopian food has a surge of flavors and spices freshly made. I will always visit this spot! read more

Went for a couple of drinks after work and they had great happy hour deals. I ended up staying for dinner. The food was really good. I had the tibs with rice and it was cooked perfectly and priced reasonably. I would recommend for people to check it out. read more

I am happy to revise my review. The food there was exceptional. We shared the vegetarian combo plate and it was delectable. Back to five stars! read more

I have visited Abyssinia Restaurant twice before last night, Liked them but am a little bothered by my experience last night. I brought my best friend who was in town and told her that she needed to experience the great live music here on Fridays. Unfortunately, we had already eaten elsewhere so we were too full to have a meal here but I ordered one drink. My friend was in a rush to get home so after my drink we were ready to go, I couldn't find the waitress so I went to the bar to tell them that I wanted to close my tab. Instead of closing my tab one of the waitresses brought me another drink. Nice but I didn't want another drink, I just wanted to close the tab. I said it three times to her but she kept telling me after I finish the drink she would close my tab but I kept saying I didn't want another drink and that I wanted to close my tab she just nodded and pointed to the drink saying yes, after the drink I will bring you the tab. I guess there was a misunderstanding because I assumed now, that she was giving me a drink for free. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, and I received a bill with the charge of two of the drinks, instead of one. I was a little upset because I did say 3 times that I wanted to pay for my drink, not one time did I mention that I wanted another one. I drank it anyway and paid for it without a fuss because I had to wait a while for her to come back and take my card..and, I am all for supporting African businesses. However, I do wish that the people that are working pay a little more attention and listen to customers. I also found it fishy that she opened the waitress wallet with my signed receipt and looked at it before I left the door, it made me wonder if I had been charged twice purposely or if she was looking to see how much in tips she got. Either way, the waitress could have waited until we left to do that, I found it rude. read more