As a proud Ethiopian, I was really excited to try this restaurant because I always love supporting Ethiopian businesses. Unfortunately, I left disappointed. The food felt very Americanized, and the flavors were much milder than what I'm used to growing up with. The Awaze Tibs, in particular, lacked the bold, rich, spicy depth that makes the dish so special. It tasted like the seasoning had been toned down, and I found myself wishing for the authentic flavors I know and love. I understand that restaurants sometimes adjust recipes to appeal to a wider audience, but I hope they'll also consider staying true to the vibrant, unforgettable flavors that make Ethiopian cuisine so unique. I truly wanted to love it, but for me, it just didn't taste like home. read more

This is a great spot. It was a bit hard to find since signage isn't super clear, but it's pretty tiny and located on the corner. I ordered the vegetarian platter and felt it was a good deal and amount of food. I ordered a boiled egg as well as a side of ayib. The ayib was great and the egg was delivered about halfway through my meal which was odd--I actually forgot I ordered it. If it can't be delivered with the meal, it probably shouldn't be offered. At the point I received it I was near done eating. The food tasted good and had a good price point. They also offers Ethiopian beer which was great. This was a good spot, definitely a hole in the wall so I do suggest making a reservation. read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Veggie Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

According to the last US census and multiple studies, the Washington, DC area has the largest Ethiopian community outside of Africa. While the Adams Morgan neighborhood was the original hub of the community back in the 1970's, for me Silver Spring is the true "Little Addis Ababa" in the DMV. Recognized by both The Washingtonian magazine (https://washingtonian.com/100-very-best-restaurants-2026/beteseb-3) and EATER - https://dc.eater.com/venue/49060/beteseb-restaurant - head chef Chef Darmyelesh Alemu was recently nominated as a semi-finalist for a 2026 James Beard Mid-Atlantic region award. Met up with some folks recently for a group dinner at Beteseb and was thoroughly impressed. As is always the case with Downtown Silver Spring, parking can be a challenge limited to mostly paid street meters; or it's a brisk 10 min walk from the Metro. The interior is tastefully decorated, if not a bit too "busy." In the back towards the kitchen is an array of Ethiopian antiques, pottery, and artwork atop wine racks. The walls are also adorned with beautiful artwork against a neutral color palette. I don't quite understand the large cooler filled with beer and other beverages; gives off a bit of convenience store vibes. But I'm not here for the decor...but for the highly regarded food. We had a large group of 10 people, so the food took about 20-25 minutes to arrive; which is fine since that meant it was being prepared fresh. Several folks ordered various combo platters...which were huge (pics available from other reviews). I wasn't super hungry, so I got the collard greens with beef which as delicious! The collard greens had been slowed braised for hours which broken down the usual tough fibrous texture of the greens. The flavors were a subtle mix of slight bitterness and saltiness which mixed perfectly with the stewed beef. The injera wasn't dry and was the perfect culinary vehicle to tear off pieces and envelope small amounts of my dish. I intended to save some of the entree for lunch the next day, but wound up eating it all there! I finished the meal with some spiced tea, which aided in digestion as I chatted with my dining group. Service was efficient and non-intrusive. Utensils were provided as requested and water glasses were filled when needed. I can see why Beteseb is so highly rated. It's well-prepared food at reasonable prices. Note, individual checks are possible as long as servers are notified at the beginning of the meal. Price for single entree, hot tea, tax+tip was about $30. read more

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The food was fantastic exactly what I wanted from an Ethiopian restaurant and the prices were super reasonable. I visited Beteseb with two friends and we got the veggie combo platter and the doro wot! They gave us plenty of extra injera on the side we didn't even have to ask for more. Service was great! The menu is so cute; I thought it was so clever to visualize the platters like that instead of just listing everything. read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Menu - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Honestly, I thought it would be a lot better with so much hype. Everything was a bit off. The service was OK. Our waitress didn't check in at all. When you go in, you have to have the mind set that it is a small business restaurant. I think it's because when I hear James Beard, that service is a part of it. They didn't know what beers they had or wine. I had to think what beers would be here based on me being at a Guyanese event! lol. The food was OK! It wasn't mind blowingly good. There is another Ethiopian spot in SS that was so nice and extremely good food so I thought this would be 10x that. This is small, but there was no music and it was sooooo bright in there. I feel like all of that sets the mood for the experience. The positive is that it is still extremely reasonable. We walked out of there with a $60 bill, which was two beers, beef and veggie platter and a side of rice and chicken drum. Also, you are still supporting small business when you go and not some chain. read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Beef and veggies - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Excellent Ethiopian in Silver Spring on Georgia Avenue!! We got the veggie combo and added crispy beef, also baklava for dessert. Great service, large portions, absolutely delicious food. read more

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The food was so good that I had to pace myself before I overate! I opted for the special Kitfo and its was seasoned very well. I also ordered the atkilt alicha and that was BOMB. The salad had the perfect amount of dressing and I left satisfied. The server was friendly and paid the right amount of attention to us. I enjoyed my meal! read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Special Beef Kitfo and Atkilt Alicha - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Amazing food and value. I'd knock off half a star if I could for not having Tej and not even knowing what wines they DID have lol. But for the Ethiopian food it's a winner as expected. The vege combo was amazing and HUGE for a great price. I was able to substitute a couple veges I don't like for doubles of ones I do like, very appreciated. Meats and fish come with two veges on the side. Great food. read more

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Small place with a pretty nice atmosphere. Great beer selection and the menu isnt overwhelming which is nice. I ordered kitfo raw and a sambusa and ofcourse and ice cold Habesha! Kitfo wasnt the best I ever had but it was still good. Service was good for how late in the day I came. I was here around 9:40pm. read more

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Heard from others that both DC and Silver Spring, MD has some great Ethiopian food so we decided to give this spot a try! We went on a late Sunday night and there were plenty of tables. After being seated, I noticed that the menu they handed us looked like an updated menu that had great visuals and a refreshed look to it! It's actually the shape of a semicircle so when you open the menu to the first page it actually looks like a complete plate of injera and all the veggies +/- meat which is great for those who haven't had Ethiopian food before. (Included pics of the menu here) We ordered the Veggie Combo and the Lamb Tibs entree which we thought was the perfect variety for two people--especially since getting a taste of each veggie option offered gives you the best of both worlds. They also ask you whether you want everything on one plate which is great for sharing! Everything was very filling and flavorful. Service was good, and it was a ton of food--enough to bring home for another meal (we just ordered some injera to go with our leftovers). What we ordered: -Veggie Combo -Lamb Tibs Entree read more

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Fabulous Ethiopian food! We got two veggie platters and a rib eye tibs for four of us and had SO MUCH FOOD. And it was fantastic - the tibs was very flavorful and cooked to perfection, the spicy lentils and yellow lentils and brown lentils were all uniquely delicious, the cabbage/potato/carrot was yummy, and the salad were refreshing. I'm not a collard fan, so it's the only thing I skipped. The servers were very nice and brought us extra injera and extra napkins made sure things were ok. It's a nice atmosphere, too - quiet, but people all seemed to be happy chatting with one another and enjoying their meals. I cannot believe I've never been there before - I'll definitely be back. read more

Service: No reservation needed when we arrived, and we were seated and attended to right away. The staff was friendly and helpful, which made the experience even better. As the evening went on, it started to get more crowded around 7 PM, so if you're coming during peak dinner time, a reservation might be a good idea. Taste: We were in the mood for Ethiopian food and decided to check out Beteseb based on the great reviews--and it didn't disappoint! We ordered a platter with extra tibs, and it was more than enough for the three of us. Every bite was flavorful, fresh, and perfectly seasoned. You can really tell the food is made with care. Ambiance: The space is cozy and welcoming, and we loved the creative presentation of the dishes--it added a fun and modern twist to traditional Ethiopian fare. It's a great spot for both casual meals and special gatherings. Recommendation: Beteseb is definitely a gem. If you're looking for delicious Ethiopian food in a comfortable setting with great service, this is the place. We'll definitely be back! read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

My boyfriend and I finally had a chance to come here after we had been wanting to check out Silver Spring's Ethiopian food scene for a while. We decided to try Beteseb based on all its recent recognition, and it did not disappoint! We went on a Tuesday evening so it was pretty quiet, just a handful of other guests. Service and ambiance were fine, nothing standout but nothing negative either. The food, however, was delicious (and reasonably priced)! We shared the beef & veggie combo platter and each had a glass of wine. The food was so flavorful, everything was well cooked, and the platter included a nice variety of complementary tastes. My only complaint was the lack of customizability in the combo platter. Some sort of "build-your-own" option would have been great so we could order a variety of meat selections rather than a few different kinds of beef. We were allowed to swap out some of the meats for veggies, but not for alternative meat types. It would be great if they would offer a few different combo options, even if the other meats come at a higher price point. read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Beef and veggie combo platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Good is INCREDIBLE!!! Dare I say this may be the best Ethiopian spot I've tried in DC. Boyfriend and I shared the beef and veggie combo for $31.99. Greta food. Great price. Perfect amount for the both of us. Service was good and ambiance is nice. 10/10 experience read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Beef and Vegetarian Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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I've eaten at many Ethiopian restaurants over the years, and this one is among the very best! Three of us recently enjoyed a Sunday lunch here. The atmosphere was calm and relaxed. The service was attentive and professional. The veggie combo was really delicious. Without exception, the spices and seasonings in the lentils, split peas, and greens added to the flavor of the dishes. In addition, the spicy tibs was succulent and flavorful. I highly recommend Beteseb to others, and I'd love to return! read more

I love this place and I love Ethiopian! On a weekend, it gets pretty busy, but I've never made a resy. The service is always great and the portions are huge. We had the doro wot (chickpea puree), cabbage and potatoes, a salad, beets, collard greens, beef and chicken. My favorite vegetable side was the cabbage and potatoes which were stewed in a curry. Don't underestimate the salad which offers a refreshing addition for the injera. They toss the alas with salt, pepper and oil. As for the chicken, it's fall off the bone tender - so good! That also comes with a boiled egg. We received all of this for $30 - what a delicious deal! read more

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My last visit a week ago! Not delicious It's changing! I added chicken drum sticks horrible also! When you pay for food it should be delicious always read more

Really great place for Ethiopian food. I appreciate that this place takes reservations and is well set up for large groups. Their wine selection was not the best but you are coming here for the food! Cheap and very filling! Definitely recommend if you are in the area. read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Really good Ethiopian food. Service was sort of the normal laxidasical service one encounters at Ethiopian restaurants in the area. Drinks seem to be help yourself from the cooler and they'll just charge you (?). Good selection of beer and soda. Prices overall affordable. Atmosphere is sort of casual diner feel? Definitely not trying to be fancy. read more

Beteseb could have been a lot better -- there's definite potential here, but the experience fell short. The interior doesn't stand out much, and while the food was okay, I've had much better Ethiopian meals elsewhere. Service seemed a bit off that night. My order got mixed up and I was served raw beef instead of well done. It wasn't a dealbreaker, but the fix didn't help -- the beef was scooped off, cooked, and placed back in the same spot on the platter, which left a less-than-appetizing impression. On the positive side, the lamb tibs and beef tibs were both solid dishes, but most everything else missed the mark. I left feeling unsatisfied overall, though I do think the place has potential with a little more attention to detail. read more

Decided to venture out to Silver Springs for Ethiopian. I had always heard Ethiopian food here is much better than anything in DC but I was always pretty content in DC. The location is south of downtown Silver Spring in a cute corner spot. It's always a good sign when you walk in and see majority Ethiopians. Service was prompt with one woman tending to all the tables and one man helping out here and there. Food was amazing. Comparing it with DC, the taste was pretty similar but much less greasy. I got the veggie platter and spicy beef tibs. All of it tasted amazing with a nod to the salad. Salad on veggie platters are always interesting, usually an afterthought, but here was quite refreshing, cutting through some of the heavier items. read more

Holy cow!!! This food was amazing! My friends and I never had Ethiopian food before and we were blown away. So delicious and so many new flavors. We loved it! The workers are all super nice too! read more

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Great food and quick service. I loved the vegetarian platters (though they could use more lentils and a bit less injera). Location is very accessible in Silver Spring. read more

My lover, her friend, and I stopped in for lunch on a holiday and had no issue getting a table. It was quiet and clean inside. It took a little longer for the food to arrive than anticipated. The friend and I had the spicy beef tibs and my lover had the vegetable lunch special. None of the food was bad, the beef and salad were flavorful but the rest of the veggies were a little bland. I will need to sample more Ethiopian places for comparison. read more

This place didn't get my business- so I'm not reviewing the food. But when I asked for tibs and a veggie platter, she kept telling me that I would need to order 2 meals. That's fine, but she didn't take my order. She just kept telling me that I would need to order two meals and they wouldn't make any modifications...... I was confused so I went up the street. Customer service is everything. read more

I was considering eating at this restaurant, as it had appeared as an option when I had searched on Yelp for halal food, but before going I called the listed phone number to confirm if they served halal meat. The person who answered the phone was incredibly rude and hung up on me after I asked. Although they don't need to serve halal meat, a kind response either confirming or denying would've been incredibly helpful. read more

We knew the restaurant was going to be delicious by how busy it always looked passing by every day. The platter was more than enough for 2 people to enjoy. Staff was friendly however had wished they were more attentive as we waited for our check for 20+ minutes and finally decided to go up ourselves to cash out. read more

I came back to try the spicy version of the veggie combo with another friend. It was delicious in the future. I plan to try their tibs or meat and chicken flavored dishes. The wait time is decent, and the food comes out nice and hot. I like how this place is vegan friendly because the friend I came with today is vegan. Next time, I'll be sure to come with someone who eats chicken and meat. read more

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I'd never had Ethiopian food before and this was such an amazing first experience. The curry i got was deliciously spicy and omg the injera! read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

The restaurant is clean and tidy and the wail staff are friendly and efficient. The food was fine but nothing exceptional. We ordered the veggie lunch with Teff injeras. The three vegetables/ yellow legumes, carrots and potatoes, and collard greens were rather bland and the injera ($3 extra) was over salted. Service was fine. read more

If you're looking for some good Ethiopian food, I definitely recommend this place! As soon as we arrived, we were kindly welcomed by the staff, and they answered all of our questions about the menu. My friend and I split the veggie combo (it's quite big) and it was delicious. There were tons of veggie dishes, and it also was at a great price. I would definitely come back here! read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Vegetarian Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Had a great lunch here. The menu did a good job of play ng things out if you don't know much about Ethiopian.

I always enjoy coming here for good Ethiopian food and eats. The food is always very good, fresh and the restaurant has a welcoming casual atmosphere. Most dishes are served with injera bread which is some of the best I've tasted but, being a true Southerner from The Georgia/Carolina Sea Islands, rice suits me better and their version is a delicious alternative. The portions are large and definitely can easily be shared between two people. This way you can try more than one dish. My go-to here is the Crispy Tibs!...Definitely a must try!! The caramelize, crispy bits of tender beef and spices put this dish on top. Also, Yebere Tibs -- Both the Lamb Or Spicy Beef Tibs Combo w/ Collard Greens (Wot)) & Cabbage (Atkilt Alicha).....a Thumbs Up!!! The have lots of good veggie options which I like as well. Honorable mention goes to the: Pescado Frito -- Whole Fried Fish which is a winner and one of the only seafood dishes in the house. They also have an excellent beer and wine selection; which includes Ethiopian beers....the Habesha beer that is especially good and a great pairing to the spices in Ethiopian cuisine. Expect to pay about $20 per person, which includes a drink and tip. In all, great service, friendly environment, fresh food and all at a great price point. Beteseb Restaurant definitely gets a thumbs up from me when looking for solid Ethiopian food in the Silver Spring, MD area. read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Yebere Tibs -- Spicy Beef Tibs Combo w/ Collard Greens (Gomen Wot) & Cabbage (Atkilt Alicha).....Thumbs Up!!! - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

100% very fast service every time I go there, unlike all others in that area. Quiet, Clean, Fresh air, bright, roomy. Never runs out of Lamb like other places nearby. Great tasting food, does not taste "rushed", despite the fast service! Friendly staff every time. Nice owner. Good Prices. I'm going back again tomorrow for Lunch with three of my friends! Arrive a few minutes early for parking. read more

TLDR: Solid Ethiopian restaurant with an extensive menu. Come for the crispy tibs and special kitfo. Vibe: 4/5. Located near downtown Silver Spring, Beteseb is a quaint Ethiopian restaurant serving up some serious eats. They are located in a heavily populated Ethiopian neighborhood, which is evident by all the neighboring Ethiopian restaurants and marketplaces nearby. Taking up a somewhat large corner location, Beteseb is easily found and has ample metered street parking nearby. Inside, the restaurant has numerous tables that can easily be pushed together to accommodate larger parties. During our visit, we made a reservation for 8 for dinner on a Wednesday, however it was not necessary. Interior decor is simple, yet clean and uncluttered which works perfectly fine. Service: 5/5. The staff at Beteseb was great in accommodating our large group from start to finish. We ordered over a half dozen dishes for the table as well as several rounds of beer and the staff did a great job at getting everything out in record time. When it was time to settle the check, they were punctual at closing us out as well. Food: 5/5. Every dish was well executed. We ordered a wide range of dishes, including special kitfo, crispy beef ribs, lamb tibs, beef pasta, firfir, beef wot, lentils, collard greens and salad. Best in show goes to the crispy tibs which was a creative take on the traditional beef tibs. The meat was seared extra hard to a crunchy texture yet not dry when you bite in. The special kitfo was also memorable, as it included greens and cheese along with the fiery seasoned raw beef tartar. Beteseb manages to separate itself from the sea of Ethiopian restaurants nearby with unconventional takes on Ethiopian classics as seen above. If you are in the mood for Ethiopian, I highly recommend! read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

The food was so flavorful and the portion size was great. I ordered the beef tibbs with a side of gomen and misir wot. I went by myself but it's definitely a nice place to eat with friends and family in a small group setting. The staff was very friendly and hospitable. Definitely plan on returning! read more

Beteseb Restaurant - Yebere Tibs Ye-Misir Kik Wot Ye-Gomen Wot - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I came here for a weekend lunch awhile back and sadly was not impressed. We love Ethiopian food, it's normally one of the only cuisines around here that defaults to spicy but almost everything we ordered here came out super bland. I don't know if they profiled us and toned it all down because we're white and pasty, but I would only recommend this place to someone who has a) never eaten Ethiopian food and b) likes things bland. If we knew nothing about Ethiopian food we would have thought it was fine, but not super inspiring. It didn't taste "bad" - but it was like a washed out version of the flavors they were supposed to have. The tibs we ordered was probably the best of the dishes, and had a teensy tiny bit of kick. The doro wot was completely disappointing with little flavor and no heat. The ambiance was cute but if you already enjoy the normal robust and spicy flavors of Ethiopian food, I would skip this place. There are SO MANY better choices in Silver Spring. read more

A small Ethiopian restaurant in Silver Spring that serves great food and provides good service! Considering the size of the place, it does have a decent amount of tables, mainly for 2-4 people. We had a group of 8 and we were seated pretty comfortably by the main entrance. There is street parking available and I believe a garage nearby as well. They have a great selection of items from vegetarian options to their specialty Kitfo. Since we ordered such a large quantity, they were accommodating and served up our food on 2 big trays so that everyone could easily access the dishes versus passing plates around the table. They also brought us an entire plate of injera as that is the main method of eating at an Ethiopian restaurant. We ordered the collard green wot, lentil misir wot, crispy tibs, lamb tibs, kitfo special, beef tibs firfir, beef tibs, chicken wot and pasta w/ meat sauce. Out of all of those, the crispy tibs were the best! The meat could have been more tender like the other dishes, but when fried to a crisp like that, it definitely can be challenging. I do also wish the pieces of meat were bigger for those stew like dishes. My friend insisted on ordering the pasta w/ meat sauce, and not that we expected something mind blowing, but it was extremely bland. read more

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I was excited when my friend suggested Beteseb, as I had seen it on "No Passport Required" and had been wanting to try it. We went on a Monday and it was decently busy, though not crowded, and we got a table right away. Service was good. I went with my usual, the veggie combo and honey wine. They don't have sambusas, sadly, or we would have ordered those. But, the veggie platter is a lot for one person, even one super hungry person, and I did my best. Everything was delicious. The split peas and collards are always my favorite and it was no different here. Also, they didn't skimp on injera, as some places do. I like lots of injera! The honey wine was delectable. My friend got the doro wot with veggie combo and enjoyed it. There are lots of options for Ethiopian cuisine and Beteseb should be high on your list. read more

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The food has different flavors and there's no meat only the injera .so I don't go there anymore.