Met up with a friend who was in town from New York and decided on Ethiopic since it had been way too 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. read more

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I read the reviews before walking in the door, so I knew I could encounter "meh". And that's what I 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. read more

Place was busy. The food was good but it's not the best Ethiopian food I've had. I thought the service was slow. The prices on the menu were fair but they automatically add gratitude. Place was clean. It's not my favorite Ethiopian spot in DC, but it's not bad. read more

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Ethiopic was a solid experience, but did not quite stand out in a city with so many strong Ethiopian options. The vegetable sampler had a decent flavor profile, and I enjoyed the beef tibs the most out of what we ordered. The fried tilapia was fine, but nothing particularly memorable. If you are someone who has Ethiopian food occasionally, I would probably recommend exploring some of the other spots in DC where the portions feel more generous and the flavors hit a bit harder. Service can also be a bit inconsistent, which matched some of the earlier reviews I had seen. We had ordered drinks that were forgotten until we followed up. Overall, not a bad experience, just one that blends into a very competitive dining scene. read more

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First time trying Ethiopian food I was highly impressed. It was delicious, flavorful and had all the right spices. 10/10 read more

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Ethiopic has a warm, intimate ambiance that makes it a nice spot for a relaxed dinner. The food was really good and definitely helped elevate the overall experience it was flavorful and well prepared. Service, however, was just okay. Our server was also the host when we arrived. There was a small awkward moment when we were seated she just kept pointing to the table she wanted us at which felt a bit abrupt. When it came time to take our order, she didn't seem fully attentive, which took away slightly from the experience. Overall, the food and ambiance really carried the night. With a bit more attentiveness in service, this could easily be a standout spot. I'd still recommend it and would return, especially for the food and intimate setting. read more

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Heard DC had a big population of Ethiopians and we had to try the food. So we found Ethiopic when we were close to one of our stops off the big bus tour. So we came in for lunch. Our server was very sweet and recommended that we get the veggie sampler and beef or lamb tibs. We opted for the lamb option and a sambusa order to start. Loved the beef sambusa the most out of everything! We broke bread and ate what came and had a great experience. read more

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My friend tried the sambusas at the H Street festival and talked about how delicious they were the time we were there. We tried to get some when the festival was over, but they had already shut down. To our surprise, they owned a restaurant and told us to come inside to order. We sat as the bar and was greeted my Tigest. She told us the different types of sambusa options and we were able to get one of each: chicken, beef and lentil. While we waited, she bought us some water and complimentary bread. The bread was so soft and the dipping sauce was divine! 10 minutes later, our to-go order was ready. By the time I got home, they wre still warm and I quickly dove in. The lentil was definitely my favorite but the green sauce took it too another level. I believe it was a cilantro, jalapeño and lime combo. I'll be sure to ask when I return to the restaurant to try for dishes. read more

Ethiopic - Complimentary Bread - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Really good vegetarian platter that had one of every vegetarian option on the menu. The beef sambusa was absolutely delicious as well. Space is clean with a chill ambiance and the service was very friendly. read more

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The Ethiopian food itself is pretty solid, I've been a couple times. I usually get the tibs and feel pretty full between that and all the injera. I just remembered an annoying experience during Otakon, which promised dinner discounts at partner venues on their website, and I was hyped since Ethiopic was one of the options for 15% with a convention badge, so a couple visiting friends who wanted to try the cuisine for the first time. Unfortunately for us, the staff all acted completely dumbfounded and kept gaslighting us. Even when we showed the website with their specific address and logo listed, they told us we were at the wrong place. Even if it we were wrong, just felt like we were given an inordinate amount of sass just for asking, and to be honest we wouldn't have Uber'd over given there were closer options to our lodging. I'm hoping it was a one-off experience, because my friends got turned off from their meals despite it being well made :( read more

Food was so good - we got 1 veggie platter and 1 meat platter to split between 4 people and it was more than enough food. However, there were some issues with the restaurant itself. There were multiple fruit flies that kept flying around and landing on our food and drinks. The bathrooms were not clean and were missing toilet paper. The service was on the slower side and not as attentive as it could've been. The platters were very quickly removed when the eating slowed down despite not asking for it to be removed. Would recommend getting takeout from this restaurant over going out to eat. read more

Ethiopic - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place is fantastic. Beza was kind and had great recommendations. The ambiance is low light and just a great all around vibe. The food is to die for. I had the Ethiopic signature tips for entree, sambusas for appetizer and the most decadent crème brûlée for dessert. There is a THICK layer of sugar caramelized on the top. This is the best creme brulee I have ever had and I order wherever they have them. I recommend doing a sampler if you come in a group. You will not regret it. Flavorful, great size and DELICIOUS. The servings are great proportions. Service is immaculate and all around great gem in DC. read more

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I've lived in NE for about 4 years, and I can't believe I slept on Ethiopic. I usually go to Habesha (my fav) in Shaw - but I really love Ethiopic now too. Their dishes or cooking style is more herbaceous - in comparison to other Ethiopian restaurants. It makes their food really complex and fun. I feel like I'm eating an elevated version of each dish. read more

Incredible vegetarian platter. Never disappoints. The service is very quick and friendly! read more

Ethiopic - Vegetarian Sampler For Two - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Really like this place, it's my closest Ethiopian place and I'm glad for it. They have both indoor or outdoor seating along with friendly and helpful staff. The food is also delicious and well priced, I'd recommend adding the whole fish to your order, it's delightful. read more

Great place to take somebody you don't want to talk to. Noisiest restaurant I've ever dined in, and that's saying something. Food is fine.

I've never had Ethiopian food before, but I thought I'd try it at a friend's suggestion. We had the vegetarian sampler but added a side of lamb tibs. The lamb was excellent. The sampler was good- I'm new to this so had some trouble getting the hang of how to scoop up the food! I'd do it again. Cool experience, and Ethiopian beers as well! read more

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My favorite Ethiopian food I've had in DC. The vegetarian samplers are an easy choice to experience a variety of dishes, and my absolute favorite is the Fosolia, which only comes on the sampler for two. Service is always quick and friendly. read more

Ethiopic - Vegetarian Sampler For Two - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Very Good . Nice service. Food nice and hot . nice music . no booths . the only thing i didn't like was that the sample doesn't have the option to add meat but other than that good read more

Ethiopic - Veggie Sampler II + Beef Tibs (not include together must order separately ) - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My first time in a long while with such a spread! Reservations I would suggest but we were able to squeeze in a table or two on a Sunday evening. Ordering is through QR code and thankfully I had my experienced friend with me as I truly did not know what to order or even expect. Once I shared plate came, we went to work! Loved trying the different combo and see what I liked best though. I wish the injera in the basket had some type of paper underneath instead of just sticking to the wicker basket. Samosas were perfectly crunchy with not too much breading to filling ratio. read more

Ethiopic - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Best date spot I've been to in awhile. Veggie plate 2 with fish was excellent- Delicious, affordable, vibrant, this is what all restaurants should strive for. Yes, the fish has bones, that's flavor. I had leftovers with my date and I eat a ton. Service was kind and excellent with water refills. Can't say enough good things about Ethiopic! May they forever be a neighborhood staple read more

So basically when you eat Ethiopian food you hope to eat it in the restaurant to enjoy the whole experience. I on the other hand wanted a cozy evening and got my Ethiopian food delivered. I ordered the vegetarian sampler 2 which came with seven small portions of different Ethiopian Curry items. There is plenty of Injera that they give you with a sampler this size. Definitely a shareable size and Not for solo consumption unless you want to eat leftovers next day which is a soggy yummy delight too. I truly enjoyed the cabbage and the onion tomato jalapeno salad. The lentils can get spicy if you are not used to spice. The Injera is just perfect And generous in portions. I also tried the baklava which was a little flat and tasted slightly different than the Mediterranean baklava as I tasted whole peanuts. I have never tasted peanuts in a baklava before. Overall a good product to fill your Ethiopian cravings. read more

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Good food on a Tuesday night. The weather was frigid so there were not that many customers and probably emptier than usual, but still good ambiance. We got the small vegetable sampler with the signature lamb tibs to share between 3 people and it was the perfect amount of food. The service was great and the meal was delicious. Definitely a great Ethiopian spot in NoMa! read more

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If you like Ethiopian food or if you're looking for a trees culinary adventure, you have to try Ethiopic. The food here is amazing and big portions! All of the veggie dishes are good and we like the signature tibs Recently tried the Ethiopian wine and was also a fan Will continue to come back to this restaurant read more

My Ethiopian restaurant of choice in DC. You can expect consistently in most Ethiopian restaurants and that's no different here. They have some of the best Shiro in the area, IMO, and I can't stop myself from ordering it just about every time. The platters are generous and you will always leave with leftovers. There is indoor and outdoor seating so you can usually pop in but I suggest making a reservation if you can (nights and holidays can get hectic). Service always comes with a smile but don't expect too many substitutions. Like I said, consistency! As with anywhere on H St., you have to be calculated with parking, but it's worth it. read more

Gomen Be Siga! Gomen Be Siga! Gomen Be Siga! ***thought if I typed it 3 times more would magically appear*** Perfectly seasoned and the most tender beef ever! This is a"Limited-time special" so get it while the getting is GOOD!! 10 out of 10 DEFINITELY RECOMMEND! read more

The food here is immaculate. I've had their veggie platter for two and the fish. Perfection both times. The sambusa is also great. I've only had the veggie but my friend had the beef and spoke highly of it. The sambusas took a while to come out but they were piping hot and delicious. The service could be a bit better but it's not bad enough to take away a star. They're friendly enough. It was a bit unclear if we should've order online from the QR code on the table or waited for the server to come. A waitress eventually came and took our orders. The ambiance is very chill and cozy. It's not a huge space so I recommend making a reservation on a Friday or Saturday night. It's not absolutely necessary but helpful just in case. They're worth the extra step. read more

Ethiopic - Veggie platter for two - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I got the lamb tibs, which were full of flavor and large enough to easily feed 2 people. The spice level was pretty mild and there was enough injera to competent the lamb. The service was top notch and it was a pretty restaurant. read more

Ethiopic - Ethiopic Signature Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I have been a longtime customer of Ethiopic, but I can no longer recommend them. I have celiac disease, and up to now they have been very accommodating. However, today I ordered the food on uber eats, flagged everything as an allergy, and paid $10 more for gluten free injera. They delivered the gluten free injera... and all of the food wrapped in regular , gluten-full injera. We called to tell them about the issue without asking for anything, and they claimed they attempted to call me (we checked the time logs, they did not). Unfortunately, we will not be relying on this former staple again. read more

I went in on a Saturday evening with a group of 4. We tried a bit of everything and the server gave amazing recommendations. Added in a bottle of wine as well. Everything (literally everything) was tasty and the vibe was casual and chill. I'll be back when I hit DC again! read more

Ethiopic - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went to Ethiopic for lunch on a Saturday. The restaurant was pretty empty, there was only one other table being used. Service was quick to bring water and their complimentary bread which came with a spiced dipping sauce. My family ordered a bunch of stuff to share. We got the Ethiopic Signature Tibs, fried dumpling things that remind me of samosas, the vegetarian sampler, and the not vegetarian samplers to share. The sampler platters were served on injera bread, and came with some rolled up ones on the side. Traditionally, i think you're supposed to use the injera bread to pick at what's on the platter with your hands. I can't really identify what most of the samples were, but everything was heavily spiced and tasted pretty good. The meats had different textures than the veggie dishes, but the spices used were similar. Not bad if you're looking to try some authentic Ethiopian food. read more

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If you ever find yourself in the Washington DC area do yourself a big favor and venture out to Ethiopic! This place was an amazing dining experience! They serve Ethiopian cuisine and experience! No utensils except serving spoons! The complimentary bread is made in house and is outstanding. It is served with a very mild dipping oil with some chili sauce or powder - and I do not like heat but this was totally bearable in fact crave worthy. Then comes the main course. As a vegan I opted for the lentils that are the house specialty off - the vegetarian section of the menu. My daughter ordered the steak tidbits, which are reminiscent of the sizzling fajita dish. My son had chicken thighs in a sauce and should have opted for the spicy version. My husband had the vegetarian sampler which comes with extra dipping bread for the table to share. This is a must for anyone going. It was AMAZING. There were about 7 different samples from the main menu for which you use the crepe like bread to scoop up. They were all equally delicious. In addition they have Ethiopian wine which is also a must try. I had a sweet red and it was amazing. The waitress brought a sample of a dry and sweet wine for my husband to try as he could not decide which version he wanted. And even after trying the sample still had a hard time selecting because both were good. They have regular sodas and water too. Service is a bit slower than we are used to but it gave us the opportunity to chat more and reflect on our day in the city, so it was much appreciated. The restaurant fills up quickly later in the evening so reservations are recommended. I never would have been adventurous to try Ethiopian food but it was recommended by a friend and now I am in love with the cuisine. I hope you give it a try too!! read more

I have not had Ethiopian food for decades so decided to try this resturant out since I had heard it was very good. We decided to order a chicken (Doro Key Wot), beef (Minchet Abish) and vegetarian (Fosolia) plate and share. All were good but the vegetarian plate was the best. The chicken dish was pretty spicy so unless you like real spicy, I recommend going with the mild. I most likely will try a vegetarian sampler next visit. Overall, the price was reasonable for the quality and amount of food (we ended of taking most of the beef home with 4 of the bread (injera)). The service is attentive and friendly. They do have a inside and outside dining area. We arrived before 5pm and got seated immediately but noticed that at 6pm they get busier. Recommend if you are planning on dining after 6pm that you should make a reservartion. Overall, the experience was very good. read more

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First time trying Ethiopian food. The food was great. Loved the art in the room too. When we got service it was super friendly, and I loved the way we were helped making a selection and small other tips. The only downside was that there was an extreme wait time with getting our order taken, with checking in with us, and with getting someone to come so we could receive our bill. My husband really enjoyed the red wine (Acacia). We tried the fish with the vegetarian sampler - and the lamb tibs. We both enjoyed the fish the best. We do look forward to trying the food again one day. read more

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Limited street parking but you can circle the block and perhaps find something within walking distance. Reservations are helpful but we were able to be seated without one. Although there is table service, the customer service was "light'. As newcomers, we understood that the menu was available by scanning the QR code with your phone. However, you also order online and choose to dine in or to go. The rub here is the automatic 20% gratuity that is added to each party. Seeing that they are ok with just letting you sit there to figure things out, I disagreed with this. Not a long wait for the food to come out. I do appreciate the server helping me decide which honey wine (Tej) I wanted by providing a sample. This made all the difference as I ended up changing my selection. There's nothing worse than paying for food or drink that you find to be unpleasant in taste. I noticed that one of my veggie options had not been included, nor did we receive the injera when the entree came out. About 5 minutes later we got both and in my opinion and previous experience, it should have come out sooner. The server I told about the missing veggie side seemed very nonchalant about it. Again, this only added to the frustration about default gratuity. While plentiful, the flavor profile was not as robust as some other items I've enjoyed before. The clientele here seems more hipster and trendy as opposed to being frequented by other native Ethiopians who support Ethiopian ran businesses. Too westernized and it shows. Decent experience but not worth repeating. read more

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I used to live near this restaurant and used to get it all the time. I just had it for the first time in years, and it was as delicious as I remembered. I always get the veggie platter, and the great thing about Ethiopian food is that you don't miss out if you just eat vegetarian. The veggie platter comes with yellow lentils, red lentils, potatoes, and lots of injeera bread everything is excellent, but my favorite is the red lentils. read more

Ethiopic - Veggie Platter to go - disregard the mess, this tasted delicious! - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Good Ethiopian restaurant and great vibes in my new 'hood! Food: Yum! Veggie combo for 2 and beef tibs were delicious. Flavors of the veggie platter popped. Beef was fresh, though not saucy. Gluten free injeera is available (sadly, they're not all GF these days). The first time, I wasn't sure if the base was GF, and the second time, the base was but not the additional pieces. Beware if you're very allergen sensitive! Service: Its okay. I liked that both times I went, I never felt rushed, and I could ask questions without issue. I wish we were asked if we wanted more injera, as we had to flag down assistance to get more. Also - pro tip - apparently you order from the app when you scan your phone! I didn't have to the first time, so it was a real awkward situation when half our party ordered and got food while I didn't. Ambiance: This place is cute! By 8 pm on a Wed, it was lovely and mostly full with mood lighting too. Lively both inside and out on a Fri eve too. I'm really excited this is in my new neighborhood. I'll be back! read more

Ethiopic - Veggie combo for 2 plus beef tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My first time. Delicious! Wonderful food and ambiance. Beza Y's service took it over the top. She was lovely, kind, and patient. She explained the offerings and how to enjoy them in a most welcoming way. Highly recommended! read more

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Food and service is excellent. I was very disappointed to find out tips don't go directly to servers.

I was so excited to try Ethiopic because I loved Ethiopian the first time I tried it. However, I didn't enjoy the food at Ethiopic very much. Sambusa - Beef: Crispy exterior with beef filling. Doro Aletcha Wot: Oniony, a little bland. Beef Tibs: Chewy beef, nothing noteworthy about the flavors. Ethiopic Signature Kitfo: Buttery and tangy, had the texture of spicy tuna. Miser - Spicy Lentils: Probably my favorite dish, wasn't spicy at all and the main flavor was tomato. read more

Ethiopic - Beef Tibs, Ethiopic Signature Kitfo, Miser - Spicy Lentils, and Doro Aletcha Wot | Instagram: GaoGirlsGrubbin - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia