Small cozy place with limited seating. We were greeted and sat immediately outside. Our server…read moreexplained the menu to us and answered all of our questions. The food came out quick! It was all delicious and a wonderful experience. I definitely want to come back and try more of their cuisine

This spot was one of the highlights of my trip to DC!…read more My friend and I shared the Chercher Vegan Special with the Chercher Beef Special Tibs. The vegan platter was phenomenal- super flavorful with so much variety which I loved. As for the beef, it was tender and seasoned well. Honestly, it was hard to choose which one was our favorite because everything tasted so good! And when we were running low on Injera (Ethiopian flatbread), our server gave us more. On top of the delicious food, the service was friendly and the inside was small and cozy (there's also outdoor seating too!) Overall, fantastic spot for Ethiopian food and I will definitely come back if I visit DC again.

TL; DR: such amazing food and service in a non descript/low key casual restaurant made me come back…read moretwice in a week for dinner despite being a visitor! Pictured is the Special Tibsi with fish. A definite must! It came out piping hot but I was still able to bite off pieces of enjera that was oh so deliciously sour and doughy. The fish tasted fresh, as did the tomatoes and onions. Not much heat despite jalapeños. I came back with a friend and we had the Special Tibsi and Veggie Combo. It tasted as good as the first time. Servers were nice, anticipatory with fresh ice water, kept the water full before I'd need to ask and had the right check-in moments without being too overly intrusive. I'd definitely come back again next time I'm in DC. 100%!

Keren is an amazing, no frills Eritrean spot located in Adams Morgan! Lots of great options for…read morevegetarians, we got the: - Breakfast combo (Mashed fava beans, Egg frittata, and Kitch tesmi): Loved this! The ful or fava beans cooked with berbere and topped with onions, jalapeños, and tomatoes was unique, but also reminded me of familiar Indian pav bhaji in a sense (especially coupled with the amazing crusty bread). The kitch tesmi (torn unleavened bread called kitcha mixed with spiced clarified butter and berbere) was so interesting. The eggs were basics done really well. - Keren special (Lentils, Cabbage, Spinach, Potato with Carrots & House Salad, and Special Tibsi): The injera was soft, bouncy, and had the perfect amount of fermented essence. All of the veggies were absolutely delicious and so flavorful. My family said the meat was great too, very tender. Service was fine, but fair warning that the food did take quite a bit of time (however, it was definitely worth the wait). There aren't a ton of tables so you might have to wait if you go during rush times. 9.5/10 would recommend!

Great service and the food is always good and authentic. I would recommend it to anyone wanting…read moregood Ethiopian cuisine.

This place was everything I hoped for and more! We tried the tasting menu since it was my parents'…read morefirst time trying Ethiopian cuisine. Every dish was unique but all tied together either well. I absolutely love experiences like this! Every course was explained to us on a culinary and cultural level which I adored. Our server was attentive and super friendly. She really made us feel welcomed. We went on a Saturday and had reservations, but were able to get seated about half an hour early. The space is small, and has very nice live music which helped blend into the background noise of the restaurant that was otherwise a bit loud. Very good balance. As far as the food goes, the branzino, shiro wot, and collards were my favorite. Definitely do not overlook the veg options here, to be they were even better than the meat! I truly think this place is worth every penny and a good welcoming environment for beginners to the cuisine. We will be back!

This is my go-to, never disappointing, always a good time and appropriate price place for a…read moreFANTASTIC meal. In a town with outstanding Ethiopian food, this place still shines brightly. The food is always good and quick. They have really good happy hour drink deals and the patio is a really fun place to people watch. I love this place so dearly

It was a gorgeous summer night to eat outside and glad we picked Tsehay. No reservation needed on…read morean early Friday night, though the tables inside and out were pretty full by 7pm. Ordered the 3 meat/3 veggie sampler, which admittedly wasn't as generous portion-wise as I thought it would be for the price ($50), but we were satisfied in the end (and had room for Van Leeuwen ice cream a block away). The spicy lamb in red chili sauce was especially tasty, but I've had more flavorful kik alicha (yellow split peas) at other Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants. But gotta shout out the injera, which might be the best in the city - lighter in color, not too thick and heavy like most other places. I'm a fan.

Delicious food and wonderful service! The owner treated us like family. The coffee was the best I…read morehave had anywhere in the world.

Your standard Ethiopian restaurant that offers classic fare at reasonable prices. When in DC, I…read morealways try to get Ethiopian, and it always seems to come from a place where I have to take stairs down (NYC included) oddly enough. I went with the Abuare lamb tips, which were a bit spicy with the jalapeno, but packed full of flavour. It came as a set meal, but only with daal, which I was sad about at first but it was more than enough food to fill me up. The injera was plentiful and the lamb was tender and perfectly seasoned. Service was uncharacteristically good, but that might just be because it was off hours, but regardless, I was appreciative.

This place was amazing. I was honestly super hesitant because I had never had Ethiopian food before…read morebut I am so glad CherCher was my first experience. They have a diverse menu ranging from vegan and vegetarian options to meat heavy dishes and fish. I went with my family and we all tried something different. Unfortunately I cannot remember the names of what we got but I can tell you the raw beef dish and the chickpea sauce with beef are both delicious. I got the beef special Tibs I think it was called which I thought was the best tasting. The service was great, the place wasn't crowded or anything so we didn't wait at all for service and food to come out. It's well decorated with TVs and a wine bar. The only nit picky thing I have about the restaurant is that it wouldn't hurt for them to dust the windows haha. On another note, the server was awesome, she didn't hesitate to recommend dishes or help us narrow down our menu options. If you're interested in trying Ethiopian or just looking for a great restaurant, I would highly recommend CherCher!

5/5 When family…read morecomes to town, I take my hosting responsibilities very seriously. My sister and brother-in-law were visiting DC, and since my sister had never tried Ethiopian food before, my partner and I decided that CherCher would be the perfect introduction. Thankfully, we chose wisely. We had a reservation, although funny enough, no one actually asked us about it when we arrived. Fortunately, it didn't matter because the restaurant wasn't crowded, and we were seated immediately. Sometimes the universe just aligns in your favor. We kicked things off with a bottle of honey wine because if you're introducing someone to Ethiopian cuisine, you might as well commit to the full experience. For food, we ordered the Deluxe Veggie Platter, which included three types of lentils, chickpeas, collard greens, beets, cabbage, and the tomato and onion salad--which, in my opinion, deserves its own fan club. I also ordered an extra green salad because I know who I am and what I like. For the meat dishes, we went with the Gored Gored, the Assa Dullet (tilapia), and the Lamb Awaze Tibs. Every single dish was delicious. The flavors were rich, well-balanced, and exactly what you hope for when you're craving Ethiopian food. The Gored Gored was especially flavorful, and the Lamb Awaze Tibs had just the right amount of spice and tenderness. One thing I always appreciate about CherCher is how quickly the food comes out. There's nothing worse than introducing someone to a cuisine for the first time and then having to spend 90 minutes explaining what injera is while waiting for the food to arrive. The kitchen moved quickly without sacrificing quality. The service was also exceptional. Both women taking care of our table were warm, attentive, and genuinely kind throughout the meal. Great service can elevate a meal, and they absolutely did. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, but it's cozy rather than cramped. They also have a covered outdoor patio, which I'm sure is lovely during the approximately four weeks a year when DC weather isn't actively trying to harm us. As for pricing, I found it to be very fair and comparable to other Ethiopian restaurants in the area. Considering the quality of the food, service, and portion sizes, I left feeling very satisfied. Would I return? Absolutely. In fact, CherCher remains firmly on my list of places I take out-of-town guests when I need DC to show off a little. As I always say: I'm not difficult to please. I just have standards.

TLDR: Big yum…read more FOOD: Schmoop and I shared the family meat and veggie. It was tasty and very filling. Food came out quite fast. SERVICE: Good! No complaints. AMBIANCE: Casual, chill. There are TVs, which was ideal because we came right before the World Cup finals. OVERALL: Solid Ethiopian food!

Dinner was delicious. Service was below average…read more Deeply disappointed by the fact that a 20% gratuity was automatically added for our party of three. No mention anywhere that this was to be expected. If it's printed in the menu, I wouldn't have been able to tell because we had to scan a QR code and look at it on our phones. On top of which, the printed receipt was the "standard" one that provides space for gratuity, with pre-calculated 15/18/20/22% numbers. And no indication that this would be "additional".

Hey friends! I was on the hunt for a good happy hour after work and landed here…read more We ordered the beef tips, a veggie samosas and a couple cocktails. The beef tips were the star of the show! Flavor was perfect cook was a little though. A good portion for one person. The veggie samosas are filled with lentils, they were good! The first cocktail I ordered was sour and I had to return it. Waiter had an attitude when I asked to return it. I then ordered a mango margarita and it was better. My boyfriend really enjoyed his ginger mule. +Customer service was okay +Happy hour prices were good! I hope you enjoy!

FINAL REVIEW-Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant: NOT the Farewell I Expected!…read more I'm not even going to fake it...I'm DISAPPOINTED! When my foodie friends and I heard that Dukem would be closing its doors for good on November 7th, we were GUTTED! As the foodies we are, OF COURSE we wanted to support them one last time before they said their final goodbye. But let me backtrack a little...A few weeks ago, two fellow Yelp Elites and I randomly decided to visit on a Wednesday. The food was just as delicious as I remembered, but the SERVICE? WHEW! Let's just say the three of us made the best of the situation. Fast forward to this past weekend. EIGHT of my foodie friends and I gathered to give Dukem a proper farewell. Three of my friends had NEVER tried Ethiopian food, so I was especially excited for them to experience it! We made reservations IN ADVANCE, so why was our seating such a MESS?! The confusion threw off our entire evening, and what made matters worse was how UNACCOMMODATING the staff was. Instead of trying to make things right, they seemed completely uninterested in resolving the situation. We came to enjoy good food, great company, and one final Dukem experience. Was that too much to ask?! AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BILL! As a table, we spent DAMN NEAR $600! SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS for what I can only describe as PISS-POOR SERVICE! And don't even get me started on the split checks! It was one of the WORST and most EMBARRASSING split-check situations I've EVER experienced while dining out! Seriously, how does paying for your meal turn into such an ordeal?! After all the frustration we had already dealt with, the checkout experience was just the icing on a very disappointing cake. For the amount of money our table spent, the level of service was absolutely UNACCEPTABLE! Now, let's discuss the AMBIANCE, DECOR, and CLEANLINESS! The restaurant was looking a bit DINGY, and the decor and overall appearance could have used some serious TLC. Nothing particularly inviting or impressive. Listen, I'm not expecting luxury, but a clean, comfortable dining environment is the BARE MINIMUM! And the BATHROOMS?! OH, ABSOLUTELY NOT! RED FLAGS GALORE! One of my friends actually had to ASK the staff to clean the restroom! The toilets weren't flushing properly, and there weren't even paper towels or napkins available. WHAT?! Now, anyone familiar with Ethiopian cuisine knows that eating with your hands using injera is part of the experience. Which makes having CLEAN, FUNCTIONING restrooms with proper handwashing supplies even MORE important! So imagine my disgust when the bathrooms weren't properly maintained. I had my hand sanitizer on HEAVY rotation and was using my OWN paper towels! At a restaurant where we're literally eating with our hands?! NAH! ‍ That really grossed me out, and I couldn't help questioning the overall attention to cleanliness. Here's the thing...I've visited Dukem approximately FOUR times recently, and although the food has generally been good, each experience has gotten progressively worse. The food doesn't quite hit the way it did during my earlier visits, and the SERVICE has been the biggest disappointment. I don't expect to be treated like royalty when I dine out. However, honoring reservations, being accommodating, handling payments professionally, maintaining clean restrooms, and providing basic hospitality should NOT be optional! What makes this even more disappointing is that Dukem has been around for years and has introduced so many people to Ethiopian cuisine. I genuinely wanted this final visit to be a celebration of the restaurant and its legacy, especially with three friends experiencing Ethiopian food for the first time. Instead, we spent part of our evening dealing with unnecessary frustration, an embarrassing checkout experience, and questionable restroom conditions. Thankfully, we had each other and still managed to enjoy our time together. I hate that THIS is the review I'm leaving for a restaurant I once enjoyed so much. I wanted to say goodbye on a positive note, but I can't overlook what we experienced simply because they're closing. Nearly $600 spent at our table, and THIS was the experience we received?! SMH! Goodbye, Dukem. I appreciate the good meals and memories over the years, but I REALLY wish our final experiences had been better.

An absolute must try!!! Spent a night with friends and enjoyed the sampler platter. Everything was…read moredelicious! Goat, beef, and lamb stews were amazing. The vegetarian options were well seasoned and we enjoyed it all. I normally do not like mushrooms but became a fan. To top it off we got the coffee, and as a coffee lover I must admit, this may be the best coffee in DC! Will be back soon!

I ate here a few weekends ago with my boyfriend. I've eaten Ethiopian food a handful of times, but…read morewanted him to try since he's never eaten it before. Since they had high reviews, and weren't too far from me, I figured this would be a good place to try. We had perused the menu online before coming inside so knew what we wanted to eat. I ordered the veggie sampler with red lentils, tomato salad, yellow split peas, and collard greens and a side of goat stew while my boyfriend ordered the mushroom tibs (unfortunately there are no pics due to us being too hungry to snap a photo :-( ...The veggie sampler came with a side of injera. The injera came out way before the actual platter. Since I was very hungry, I actually nibbled on that, and wished everything came out at once. The veggies were pretty tasty, but for some reason, I wasn't excited about my overall meal. The goat stew was pretty good too. What I really enjoyed was my boyfriend's dish of mushroom tibs. It was nicely sautéed and well seasoned. I'd probably order that if I ever went back. The interior was very colorful and earthy. The owner, I think, was also very hospitable.

Met up with a friend who was in town from New York and decided on Ethiopic since it had been way…read moretoo long since we'd had Ethiopian food. H Street was also having a festival that day, so it seemed like a good excuse to head over. We started with the sambusa and then shared the Signature Tibs and the chicken and beef wot sampler. Everything was really good, but the tibs were probably my favorite. Plenty of flavor and spice, and obviously half the fun is tearing off injera and trying a little bit of everything on the table. We also decided to try a bottle of the Ethiopian Acacia dry red wine. We'd never had Ethiopian wine before and it paired really well with the beef and all the spices in the food. Definitely glad we tried it. Service was friendly, although definitely on the slow side. We weren't in much of a hurry since we were catching up with a friend, so it wasn't a huge deal for us, but it's worth knowing if you're trying to get in and out quickly. Overall, really good Ethiopian food and a nice dinner on H Street.

I read the reviews before walking in the door, so I knew I could encounter "meh". And that's what…read moreI received, so it didn't necessarily disappoint me. We entered a sparsely populated restaurant and STILL encountered delays in ordering and getting our food. But that's okay, we chatted through ten minutes of hunger pains until the waitress approached. I will add that the decor was wonderful inside. They also had outdoor dining as well. As for our food, we ordered the samosas as a starter. They were very crispy; almost too crispy. They were not as favorable as others I have tasted, but definitely edible. The vegetable sampler #1 was more than enough, with a great variety of menu selections. I must state that the gomen was my least favorite because it lacked favor. We added doro wat and beef tibbs. Both were just okay. As others have mentioned, there are many Ethiopian restaurants in DC. Some stand out, while others barely try. This one on this day, was just okay.