We may have found a new go-to Ethiopian spot! As we usually do when trying a new place, we ordered Doro Wot and a veggie combo. It was easily 4 people's worth of food, but more importantly, delicious. The veggie combo had the best shiro and collards I've had in awhile as well as delicious beets, two varieties of lentil (misir wot and another name unknown), cabbage & carrot gomen, fried potatoes, salad and yellow split peas. I am usually not as keen on yellow split peas but we thought these were better than average. The doro wot was excellent and for the first time ever, came with two drumsticks. I seriously have never gotten more than one drumstick anywhere else. It was easily twice the size of other doro wot portions. It had a decent amount of heat but probably not as much as our other favorite places. It was by no means bland though, it was excellent, just not as spicy as others (still very spicy by Marylander standards, be warned). The veggies though are mostly milder while also being well seasoned. You get a choice of injera; local injera is a blend that is not gluten free and is included in the price. You can get the 100% teff for an upcharge of 3.50. We aren't celiac so went with the local and it was still good for our tastes. We stuffed ourselves and still had probably 2/3 of the food left so will be enjoying it for a couple more days. The meal came in under $50 and seemed a bargain comparatively when balancing quality and quantity. We will definitely return! Oh, I should add: Service is very friendly, but this is not a super fast place so plan accordingly. It is very clean and attractive, bathrooms clean too. They have a couple small metal tables out front if you want to enjoy the weather, but it might be a little loud as it's right on the street. read more

Effoi Restaurant has been ordered by the Montgomery County Court to lower its music due to ongoing noise disturbances. Despite this order, the noise has continued, and there have been incidents in which police officers reportedly asked the establishment to lower the music, but their requests were refused. This ongoing situation has caused significant frustration for nearby residents who deserve peace and quiet in their homes. I hope the appropriate authorities will take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the court order. read more

The food was delicious, portions were good, all in a beautiful relaxing cozy environment! We got the veggie platter combo with the traditional authentic injera. The injera was soft and perfectly sour in a way that complimented the vegetable dishes so well. There was a good variety of vegetables prepared, and each side was delicious and had a unique flavor profile. The food came out pretty quickly and the service was attentive and kind, we really enjoyed our time here. read more

Effoi Restaurant - Veggie combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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This is a cozy, warm restaurant with excellent service and food! The feel I had during my visit was something like home or a good friend's house! The staff is very warm and friendly. The food does take time to cook but it's well worth the wait. I had Yebeg Tibs Awaze and Doro wot shared on one platter. They also offer gluten free injera! The stews were so flavorful and the injera had a nice light acidity to it. I will definitely be back! read more

Effoi Restaurant - Stewed lentils, chicken doro wot and lamb tibs that came with what seems like homemade cheese! - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

This was my first Ethiopian restaurant experience. The food was so good! My only complaint is that the service was really slow. read more

Effoi Restaurant - A sampling of different options. - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Lovely place for dinner. Servings are massive but also delicious, probably good enough for three people was way too much for two. Service is very pleasant and always double back to make sure that we were taken care of and had plenty of napkins as we were messy. Eaters. Parking is on the street and the menu is very reasonably priced. read more

Effoi Restaurant - Chicken, veggie and the flatbreads - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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My favorite Ethiopian restaurant! We ordered a variety of items for my cousin's first time trying Ethiopian food and she loved it! Particularly enjoyed the special veggie combo, doro wot, sizzling beef tibs (can't remember if the best was awaze or derek tibs). All around, you can't go wrong. It's so tasty! Ambiance is authentic and there's even a traditional coffee ceremony add-on if you'd like. Service was very friendly and helpful in making recommendations. read more

This is the spot to go in downtown Silver Spring! The food is fresh and authentic Ethiopian food. read more

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Kitfo can be tricky--sometimes it's too dry, other times too wet. Effoi's version gets it just right. Perfectly balanced, well-seasoned, and full of flavor. I'm so grateful to have such great kitfo nearby. read more

Effoi Restaurant - Kitfo - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

The reason I picked this spot from all the amazing Ethiopian options in Silver Spring is that they had some holiday specials available for Ethiopian and Eritrean dishes that I have never had. This made it perfect for getting an Ethiopian fix of legit Ethiopian food in the area while being in town but also still stick with my plan to only try new dishes I have never had during visits in cities with lots of international options. I tried a "lifer" dish special they had until Christmas: Hilbet. My Realization on the connection to the word Hilbeh from Yemeni/ Yemenite food somehow didn't hit me fully until later on even though I immediately thought of Yemeni/ Yemenite Hilbeh when I tasted the fenugreek in the Hilbet! I am familiar with Hilbeh form Israel where it was brought to by Jews who came to Israel from Yemen like my aunt and of course Hilbet is related! The Ethiopian and Eritrean hilbet, just like the yemenite one is a naturally vegan dish. Unlike the yemenite Hilbeh that is only made with ground fenugreek seeds, the Ethiopian and Eritrean Hilbet has fava beans, fenugreek, and lentils, all ground into a powder, cooked, and whipped to a cream like texture. It was definitely whipped and maybe a little sticky. It would take a little getting used to for me but definitely super interesting and super fun to try. It came with shiro next to it that I was very happy with (one of my favorite Ethiopian stews!). The hilbet was topped with a salty (a tad too salty for me maybe) tomato based sauce. There were pieces of fresh jalapeno on the hilbet which I really liked with it. I really liked the presentation of the dish. The injera was good which is the most important part for me in Ethiopian and Eritrean meals and the food was well spiced-- both, and the injera in particular, have been a source of disappointment when eating Ethiopian food in the limited amount of Ethiopian restaurants in Tucson while living here. There was a woman in the restaurant roasting coffee beans and doing the coffee ceremony which added to a nice ambience. With providing some less common Ethiopian and Eritrean dishes, especially around the holidays I think this restaurant is a real gem and definitely a good one to prioritize trying some special less commonly found dishes at! This is what earned a 5 stars from me which I now tend to reserve for very few favorite outstanding places. My general rating system: 1 star: I would stay away 2 stars: Has some good things about it but I generally don't recommend. 3 stars: Pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go back but a decent place 4 stars: Great place. I would go back. 5 stars: I highly recommend stopping whatever you are doing and making plans to try it out! An Evie favorite! read more

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Really fantastic food and service. Some of the yummiest Ethiopian food I've had! We ordered the veggie platter and the goat tibs!

My cousin was in town from Atlanta and was really craving Ethiopian food. She found this spot, and it just so happened to be right near my house even though I'd never been before. We finally went, and walking in... WHEW. It was super crowded, and this was two days after Thanksgiving, so I already knew it had to be good. We ordered the veggie combo with doro wot and yebeg tibs, and the veggie platter was SO good. My favorites were the ater kik (turmeric chickpea stew), cabbage, and misir (red lentil stew) I couldn't stop eating them. There were about six other veggie options too, and everything was seasoned and flavorful. The doro wot was flavorful but a little too spicy for me, and the chicken leg wasn't very tender kind of hard to pull apart. The yebeg tibs were just okay; not bad, but I've had better. Service was great, especially our waitress she really took a liking to my baby and was hugging him up, which I loved. I also noticed they have a hookah lounge upstairs, which I thought was cute and would definitely want to check out another time. Overall, I'd definitely be back that veggie combo alone is worth it. read more

I convinced my date to try ethopian for the 1st time ever. I picked this place and I haven't been here before. This place is AMAZING!!! Wow, what an experience she had on her first ever ethopian adventure. Ella was our server and let me tell you she served up the most memorable experience I had at a restaurant. I had the kitfo and my date had zil zil tibs and we both shared sambusa and the coffee experience as well. This has now become our restaurant toge! read more

Effoi Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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For my birthday I chose this restaurant and it did not disappoint. The food was excellent. Two of the 8 friends had never had Ethiopian cuisine. They loved it. Ella was our primary server. She explained a lot of the menu options in detail. Everyone was very welcoming. I/We will be back! read more

Effoi Restaurant - Veggie combo with lamb dish added - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Long wait, portions came up short, and the charges on the bill weren't right. Disappointing overall.

I visited Effoi for my birthday while in town, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. Despite being Ethiopian American, I had never actually eaten at an Ethiopian restaurant before, so this was my first experience--and it absolutely exceeded every expectation. The food was phenomenal, especially the Yebeg Derek Tibs (lamb tibs), which was easily my favorite dish of the meal. The buna (Ethiopian coffee) was excellent as well. This is one of the top 3 best and most flavor-packed meals I've ever had! What made the experience truly special was our server, Sisay. She was outstanding--warm, attentive, welcoming, and genuinely invested in making sure we had a great experience. I also asked for several dishes to be prepared without butter, and she made sure everything was handled perfectly. When my dad casually mentioned it was my birthday, Sisay and the team went above and beyond. Without us asking, they brought out a birthday cake that was honestly amazing on its own, and even played Happy Birthday throughout the restaurant. It was such a thoughtful surprise and turned a great meal into a truly memorable celebration. I was only visiting from out of town, but I'd gladly come back just for the food and hospitality. Thank you, Sisay, for making my first Ethiopian restaurant experience and my birthday so memorable. Highly recommend! read more

Effoi Restaurant - Lamb tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Amazing food and service - especially from our waitress Nevayt. She was attentive and funny and a wonderful addition to our already spectacular meal!! Come to this restaurant for the best sambusas in the DC area. read more

Effoi Restaurant - Beef Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Went back bc of Threads and actually got to dine in. We went on a Sunday, during the day and it was a completely different experience from the first time we went! Food was delicious, especially the spaghetti lawd I wanted to lick the plate! Veggie platter was filling and delicious and my partner said he loved the lamb. We also had the fresh coffee and it was strong and delicious especially that it was served with the resin incense on the side and popcorn! Grateful that I was able to have a new experience and enjoy it! read more

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Gaslight Tibs, Godin Tibs, Effoi special, special kitfo all done right. There are many great Ethiopian restaurants in Silver Spring but Effoi is where you go to get it done right. read more

Great food and great service from Ella. Her advice on what to eat was spot on. We enjoyed it so much.

Since October 2025, I've been to Effoi on numerous occasions and it has always been a great experience. Elleny, has often times been our waitress and displayed outstanding customer service. Along with her, the staff in general has been welcoming and delivered great food and service. Much love to all who served me at Effoi. read more

Food is absolutely delicious- we really enjoyed our entire meal and the service. Highly recommend the veggie platter and zil zil tibs and we will be back again soon! read more

The food here is amazing! Ella our server was the best, she kept coming to our table to make sure everything tasted well. 10/10!

Effoi is a Silver Spring Gem!! I actually discovered Effoi by total accident! My best friend was visiting from Virginia to explore downtown Silver Spring and mentioned she'd seen a post about this place. We had already eaten elsewhere, so we just popped in for some coffee and dessert. We had the baklava (delicious!) and immediately fell in love with the host, the ambiance, and the overall warmth of the space. Since that first visit, I've been back three times, and it has been consistently amazing every single time. Here is why I keep coming back: The Tradition: I love that they keep the tradition alive with the Ethiopian/Eritrean coffee ceremony. It adds such a beautiful, cultural touch to the experience. The Service: The atmosphere is incredibly welcoming. Even when they are slammed and the restaurant is busy, they make sure every guest is taken care of. You never feel ignored or rushed. Consistency is Key: Whether it's the food or the service, it's always high-quality. Also, a huge plus for me: the restaurant and the bathrooms are spotless. That level of cleanliness says a lot about how they run the place! I am so happy my friend saw that post! As an Ethiopian myself, it is rare to find an Ethiopian restaurant that has the total package and stays this consistent. Effoi has my full support, and I wish them nothing but continued success!! read more

Efoi restaurant Has been such a great restaurant ,I would love to visit again , , Marie the owner , has made all the efforts to make the experience exceptional appreciate your dedication , keep it up , I love everything. Thank you read more

10/10 experience! I'm fairly new to Ethiopian food so this was one of the first places I trued. I LOVE it! The food is amazing, it's fresh, and the ambiance is very welcoming. Everyone was kind when I went and they give you a lot of food. I came here for the first time on a Friday and came right back on Sunday. On Friday Ella was my waitress and she was very kind and attentive. She explained some of the food items and made sure we had everything we needed. I had the veggie combo and doro wot. Both were great! The second time I went I ordered the veggie combo again. read more

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This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant near Sliver Spring. It's has a wonderful atmosphere with a lot of locals, eating dinner, hanging out and enjoying themselves. It's a lot like you have at a family dinner. The food is legit. It is authentic as you can get. read more

Effoi Restaurant - people sitting at tables in a restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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The food is delicious at Effoi restaurant! We enjoyed the variety of wot (lamb and chicken) and the deret beef along with the variety of vegetables on the veggie plate. Nevayt, our waitress, was friendly and attentive, with a smile all along. When an order was made for my picky eater that he didn't eat, she had it remade to his liking which touched us a lot. Be prepared to wait a while for your food to come out, but it's well worth it as everything was extremely flavorful. read more

Ordered pickup from Uber Eats and it was ready on time. The veggie combo was delicious. I enjoyed every item but would have liked a little bit bigger portions of each. The injera was good and fresh and the restaurant employees were helpful and courteous. It will be our go to in Silver Spring for Ethiopian. read more

Food and drinks tasted really great, and our waitress Ella was super helpful. There are many Ethiopian restaurants concentrated in this area, I think I like this one best. read more

Solid choice for Ethopian in Silver Spring. The food is good, they get it done reasonably fast, and the portions are generous. I've preferred the meat dishes to the veggie ones here, but your palate and mileage may vary. read more

Amazing food, warm and lively atmosphere, and great service. Clientele seems mainly Ethiopian. This is a new favorite in a neighborhood of great Ethiopian restaurants. Specially surprised and pleased by the Tofu Tibs. read more

Delicious! Effoi Restaurant offers authentic Ethiopian cuisine with a laid back atmosphere and friendly service. My party of 8 enjoyed Doro Wat, Zilzil tibs, Awaze (lamb) tibs, and even some less adventurous spaghetti with meat sauce. Our server offered us both "authentic" injara, which is naturally gluten-free, and "regular" (AKA "American") injara. Everything was tasty, and our server was eager to answer any questions we had. It's a great place for those new to Ethiopian food and for the experienced. As other reviews noted, the pace of service is also more Ethiopian than American, leaving guests to lounge and socialize without many table visits, but the servers were responsive when we flagged them down with a question or a request. read more

If I could rate 6/5 stars I would because this place deserves it. As an avid enthusiast of Ethiopian cuisine, I was impressed by not only the quality but the service and ambiance. I was met by Ella, who was very friendly and went over and beyond to teach me more about Ethiopian cuisine! She even taught me a few words which I really appreciated. She was very attentive and provided the best experience for me as a guest. Additionally, the establishment is vibrant with lively contemporary Ethiopian art and full of amazing vibes from guests. As someone who is not of Ethiopian descent, I felt very welcome and will definitely be returning. read more

Effoi Restaurant - Doro Wot with Ayyib - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

We had an amazing experience and delicious food at Effoi last night. Our waitress Ella explained the dishes well and was so kind. Three of us shared a vegetarian platter with Ethiopian injera made w 100% teff and added a tofu dish that was delicious. The salad was fresh and the vegetables dishes were plentiful. I will have leftovers for 2 meals! A woman was making coffee as well. It smelled amazing. 5 stars. read more

the food (veggie combo with tofu dish) was phenomenal, but the wait was.... astronomical. i'm talking like almost an hour for the food to come out, fifteen minutes to get the check, ten to get it back, ten to get a box. this was my boyfriend and my first time there, so i'm not sure if this was typical, but the people around us were complaining about the wait as well (mind you, this is noon on a monday). that makes it hard to recommend and we won't be returning because of it. however, if you have the time, the food really is great! read more

Effoi Restaurant - veggie combo with tofu - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I came here today at the recommendation of an Ethiopian friend. One of my favorite Ethiopian dishes is Gored Gored, pictured below. You need high-quality beef for this dish, as it is raw and you are supposed to taste the meaty flavor with the sauce only to accentuate it. This was an excellent example of the dish, which leads me to assume their Kitfo, another raw beef dish, is similarly excellent. The portion was also quite generous; enough for two people. And the price was reasonable. Also, the proprietress and the wait staff were friendly. I definitely will return! read more

Effoi Restaurant - Gored Gored: cubes of tender raw beef seasoned with a dry spice rub called mitmita and a chili-mustard sauce called awaze - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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There's an upstairs club/lounge and a downstairs restaurant under same ownership and kitchen. We chose the louder upstairs area. It's a nice vibe. A few friends smoking hookah and chatting. The food was salty. All parts were high in salt content. The meat was good quality and chewy. My friend ordered a great tilapia dish and I ordered goat tibbs read more

The food is fantastic--veggie combo, beef, Doro Wat, all spot on--and the staff couldn't have been friendlier. But be prepared to test your patience: we waited nearly two hours for our meal, and 45 minutes after ordering, were told the fish goulash was already gone. Delicious, yes, but bring a snack... and maybe a timer. read more

Three friends and I ate at Effoi Restaurant for the first time about a month ago. We had the veggie platter and it was authentic and delicious!! Ella was our server. She was very friendly and attentive, without being overbearing. We highly recommend! read more