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    Effoi Restaurant

    4.5 (48 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

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    Recommended Reviews - Effoi Restaurant

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    Kitfo
    Simon P.

    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.

    Chris G.

    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!

    Lamb that our server threw in the box Yebeg Tibs Yebeg Tibs Awaze

    First off we found this place on google with a 4.8 star review... this is why we went. To start, we waited about 15-20 min just to get water and had to wave the server down in order to order.. I asked her "how long will it be for a veggie plater" she told me like 10 minutes. Mind you we got there at 8! Yea the place was packed but I'm sure if they would let people know how long it would take for the food to come out, they would reconsider... we waited 2 hours to get our food, which we then tell her to give us Togo boxes so we just pack it up. (We had a baby with us), well... my husband tells her he'll pack it up and she says "no I got it" and just dumps it into the box vs us being able to separate it. See pictures... food is good but the experience and her energy didn't make our time here enjoyable. We will not be back! And I truly recommend if you go here be ready to wait 2 hours for the food to come out and another hour for your check... also it felt like they were favoring the Ethiopians while we couldn't even wave her down to ask for more water... Ambiance : 3 Food: 4 Service: friendly but not attentive Wait: 1 star,

    Ethiopian honey wine

    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.

    people sitting at tables in a restaurant
    Michael D.

    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.

    Doro Wot with Ayyib

    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.

    veggie combo with tofu

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    The vegetarian platter was the best we have had in the Silver Spring area. We will definitely return.

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    3 years ago

    Excellent food pleasant service and clean and inviting restaurant. Price is also reasonable.

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    4 years ago

    Great food and great customer service! I highly recommend Effoi if you want to try authentic Ethiopian food. I will definitely go agian

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    The Breakfast Club - Chicken & Vanilla Bean French Toast

    The Breakfast Club

    3.8(467 reviews)
    0.0 mi
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    I've been here a few times & really love this place! It does get pretty busy but I've never had to…read morewait long for a table (for two). I love ordering the vegan hash (veggie hash w no egg) & the drinks are pretty good , but definitely over priced. The service is always great & I love supporting this business. Parking can be a little tricky on the weekends, but street parking is free on Sundays. Love the decor, I just wish the bathrooms were better kept. Mimosas -- 7/10 overpriced Cab Calloway -- 7/10 Seafood grits -- 9/10 has a little spice to it! Veggie Hash -- 10/10 super filling Veggie burger -- 8/10

    The Breakfast Club, no not the 80s movie classic, no not the nationally syndicated morning show…read morethat sold out and went corporate and Netflix, but the Black diaspora sanctuary spot in the heart of Silver Spring off of Fenton Street is where I took my mom to for a brunch on an early Friday afternoon before Mother's Day weekend. It was awesome to see the diversity of the diaspora from the African continent (East and West Africa) the Caribbean/Latin America, and America all in one safe space enjoying themselves without the performative and obnoxiousness from others I would give them that. The Billy Holliday mural and the interior design has a nice sleek, New American vibe. My problem is the service, the cost, and the food although solid, I cooked a brunch the following day myself not to brag (scrambled eggs and cheese, friend potatoes with diced green peppers and onions) that was masterful in comparison to the gingerbread style big ole French toast and fancy "scrambled eggs and cheese" this spot has. The service charge was ridiculous as my mom's bill was 70 plus bucks for just the seafood shrimp and grits which was nice, a very sweet pre-diabetic lemonade, and bread pudding that was like bougie Georgetown prices with the dominant culture. I paid 40 dollars (Hairstylist from Baby Boy!) for French toast, scrambled eggs with cheese and lemonade. The food is nice and all but nothing to die for. We came for the vibe, culture, and atmosphere also, but we do prefer the chains of Dennys and I-hop if I am not doing the cooking which is most of the time. The server would dirty mack and take a while flirting with women at the bar and playing around with staff, and I had to give a clinical gaze with my glasses and hand signal for him to return. We did ask up front about service charge and gratuity included from the beginning but they have a very Southern slow pace here that I agree with others and I am a very patient man and notice that. It can take a while to get your checks, get change, just other tasks that you would think would be handled more efficiently. The place attracts the social media crowd, with professional pictures, the glitz, the glamor the Hollywood red carpet of the DMV, but the structural integrity of the pricing, service, and experience needs to step its game up in the worst way. We certainly see this place being a bit turned up and precarious in later hours. The closest parking that is reliable enough is the Safeway garage so it is not the most convenient, where as at least Matchbox has the Wayne and Colesville garages to park at and then enter. It was nice to support the Black owned establishment but it is a 1 and done spot. Majic 102.3 put in the hype a couple of years ago, but I found the truth, no thanks, it is a performative culture that still has that ole Georgia Ave. street culture.

    Photos
    The Breakfast Club - Beautiful dining area

    Beautiful dining area

    The Breakfast Club - Chicken Biscuit

    Chicken Biscuit

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    Java Nation - Silver Spring - Quiche and slightly overdresssed salad

    Java Nation - Silver Spring

    4.5(174 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Java Nation was the perfect spot for a morning catch-up with a new business friend. We originally…read moremet at a strategic planning event last year and decided this was the ideal place to reconnect over coffee--and it did not disappoint. The service was warm, friendly, and attentive, making it easy to settle in and enjoy a great conversation. While we didn't eat much this visit, the menu is incredibly robust and tempting enough that we've already decided to come back next month for our next check-in. Another huge plus: convenient parking nearby and easy access to the Metro, which makes meeting up here simple and stress-free. Java Nation strikes a great balance between a welcoming café and a productive meeting spot. Whether you're grabbing coffee, planning your next move, or just enjoying the neighborhood vibe, this is a solid go-to.

    I stopped by their little café after work one day and instantly fell in love with how cute it was…read moreand the food was so delicious that I knew I had to try their restaurant next door. I'm so glad I did! The atmosphere was beautiful spacious, modern, and really inviting. The staff made the experience even better; everyone was friendly and took the time to explain the menu in detail, which I really appreciated. The food overall was great, from the drinks to the dessert. The only miss for me was the Margherita flatbread it lacked a bit of flavor compared to everything else but everything else we tried was absolutely delicious. We ended up leaving before the live music started, which I regret because it sounded like such a nice touch. I'd definitely come back to enjoy that next time!

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    Lime & Cilantro - Chicken empanadas

    Lime & Cilantro

    4.5(105 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    Oh, I can't believe I didn't leave a review for the spot, even though I've been a few times though!…read moreIt's been a while, but man are they delicious. I would describe them as a combination of classic and elevated Latin food. The vibe of the restaurant is very casual, but the presentation of many of the dishes takes it to another level. They also have a wide selection of beer and wine. I have had tacos, octopus, breakfast tacos, and tamales. Everything was flavorful and quite tasty. I will admit service was a little slow the last time I went, but given the weather and the fact that we weren't in a rush it wasn't a big deal. If you haven't been yet, you should go. The colorful presentation reminds me of Palette 22, and rumor has it they are expanding to the Ethiopian restaurant that closed next door. I hope that's true!

    Nice ambiance and good brunch menu offerings. I didn't know that they only offered brunch during…read morethe weekend so I was a little disappointed as I wanted to try something more complex but we enjoyed what we ate. Could work on those fried plantains as they were a little soggy. The quinoa salad was good, a bigger portion would have been nice for the price paid and maybe if it would be easier to eat if served in a bowl. The chorizo sandwich was okay. Presentation and bread could be better. We left curious about their regular menu so we may give it a try some other time. Their staff were nice but not very knowledgeable about their menu items. They didn't really know how to answer my question about their vegan tres leches and told me it was not actually vegan after indicating it had condensed milk and heavy cream.

    Photos
    Lime & Cilantro
    Lime & Cilantro - Empanada

    Empanada

    Lime & Cilantro - Cilantro rice.  A simple dish, but a level above any I've had before.

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    Cilantro rice. A simple dish, but a level above any I've had before.

    Kaldi's Social House - Chicken Waffle

    Kaldi's Social House

    4.0(810 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I recently revisited Kaldi's Social House, a place I hadn't been to in years. The restaurant…read morefeatures comfortable seating and a large bar that effectively divides the space, accommodating both diners and those working on laptops. We decided to order breakfast to-go. Although there was a line, it moved quickly, which was a pleasant surprise. We tried the 12oz lattes, which were decent but could use a little extra flair to elevate the flavor. On the bright side, the Sweet Corn Waffle and the Waffles with Fresh Berries were both absolutely delicious and a highlight of our meal.

    This Black History Month, I've decided to celebrate Black excellence by supporting Black-owned…read morebusinesses! The support continues beyond February so join me! Today we took a drive to Kaldi's to order some breakfast to-go. The restaurant was really packed but the ordering process was actually pretty smooth. We ordered their 12oz lattes, my drink was modified to add a splash of almond milk. The lattes sadly weren't anything special and could probably benefit from some cinnamon or a flavor of some sort to bring a little personality to the drink. To eat, we ordered their waffles (sorry for the to-go pictures) I ordered the sweet corn waffle and my boyfriend ordered the waffles with fresh berries. The waffles were PHENOMENAL!!!!!!!!! Probably the best and most creative waffles I've had in a long time. The sweet corn waffles were magical. The addition of jalapeño peppers perfectly balanced off the sweet flavor seeping through the waffles. It was beautifully paired. The waffles were also very creamy and soft. Only downside is that I didn't care for the random garnish of corn of top but I get the presentation. This might have been better if it was seasoned or sautéed but the random corn didn't add or take away from the dish. My boyfriend lovedddddd his waffles and berries and said that it was the perfect breakfast selection. I'll definitely come back to order more waffles but also wished that they had a way of conducting pick up through their online portal. As mentioned, it was packed in there but there were some nice seating around the restaurant so I assume that you'll need to get there really early in order to dine in. Overall, I'll return and hopefully I can try another beverage.

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    Kaldi's Social House
    Kaldi's Social House - Avocado Toast. My favorite among all the avocado toasts that I have tasted thus far. The bread is to die for. Highly recommend.

    Avocado Toast. My favorite among all the avocado toasts that I have tasted thus far. The bread is to die for. Highly recommend.

    Kaldi's Social House - Lemon ricotta pancakes smothered in blueberries

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    Effoi Restaurant - ethiopian - Updated May 2026

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