Wow. This was incredible. A small but comfortable restaurant in Shaw, Ghion absolutely blew me away. The staff were wonderful and so kind, offering recommendations as I have never had Ethiopian food before. We got the lentil Sambusas to start and every bite brought a smile to my face. The dough was perfectly crunchy and the lentils had so much flavor. The injera was amazing, and served as a perfect vessel for every bite of our entrees. The seasoned beef spiciness was matched by its intense flavor, making each mouthful its own fun unique experience. I'm so happy with this meal and cannot wait to try more! read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - 4 Items Veggie Combo and Spicy Sautéed Beef - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The vegetarian platter here is what dreams are Made of!! I could bathe in those amazing lentils! The owners are SO lovely and kind, just don't come here if you're in a rush yum! read more

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Came here with friends and it was absolutely delicious!! We got the vegetarian platter and then a lamb dish in the side and we cleaned our plates!! Everything was so flavorful and well seasoned!! We also got the honey wine to try and it was really sweet but yummy!! The owner and her husband are so sweet and make you feel so welcomed, we felt like family!!! read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I love. The food good Castmer service testy flavored coffee with traditional coffee with bread

I've definitely had better Ethiopian food in DC and probably won't recommend this place to anyone. When you walk in the Resturant immediately smells like mold. It was quiet when I arrived so service was solid, but what we ordered on the menu and what we ended up receiving were two different things. We ordered the veggie and meat combo. The meat combo was described as various cooks of beef, but we definitely did not receive any beef. We ended up with chicken and two servings of something wasn't beef. We also received collard greens which on the menu wasn't described as having meat in it, but it came with beef. The veggies we received were fine, but definitely not the best Ethiopian in the area. You should probably just go to Dukem instead. read more

Second time trying Ethiopian food. I was very impressed with this restaurant. It is not fancy but it is a very warm & welcoming family run restaurant. Seating is not crowded and it has a relaxed atmosphere. The food was so good. We went with the four meats and three veggie platter. As you know you eat with your hands in the traditional manner. The meats were outstanding and perfectly seasoned. The lentils were so tasty. A generous portion of Injera is provided to each diner for eating with the platter. They have a few beers and wines on their menu. read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - Four Meat & Three Veggie Platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Incredible authentic Ethiopian food. The lady there was very friendly and made all the food from scratch. It took a while for her to make so plan ahead, but it's worth the wait! read more

I am genuinely befuddled by the high ratings for this restaurant. I came here around 7:45pm with friends. The restaurant was busy, the sun was starting to set on a 90+ degree day, and there was no AC and only one ceiling fan running. To start, the water cup they gave to my friend was dirty, but they quickly exchanged it when he asked for a new one. We had ordered one 7 veggie combo and an order of beef tibs to share. Food took about 30 minutes to come out and the restaurant had practically emptied by the time we got our order. I specifically ordered beef tibs because I do not eat lamb and have a very strong aversion to it. They gave us lamb tibs. When I told the guy they had mistakenly given us lamb instead of beef, he insisted they had given us beef. My lamb-eating friend had tried it too and agreed with me that it was definitely lamb because it was very gamey. Luckily the server took the dish back. However, when he had initially delivered the food to our table, he stepped out of the restaurant for 10-15 minutes and by the time he came back, we were already 75% finished with our veggie platter (the portions were pretty small). We didn't want to wait another 30 minutes for the replacement, so I asked him to please cancel the tibs and he agreed to. Then, comes the bill. We were charged $6 for 3 "extra" orders of injera. We never asked for extra injera. The only injera we received was the layer of injera that the veggie combo was served on and the 3 of us each received a plate with half a sheet of injera on it. The veggie combo was $35, $6 for the "extra" injera, and after tax and tip, the bill was over $50. I have Ethiopian food at least once a week. Never have I ever paid over $50 for a meat combo with actual extra injera, let alone a veggie combo. Lastly, the restaurant did not have hand soap available in any of its bathrooms. Instead, there were bottles of hand sanitizer. This is concerning because how are the employees washing their hands? And it's especially concerning because the food they serve is meant to be eaten with your hands. We used an aggressive amount of hand sanitizer because there was no other choice. This is one of the few negative reviews I have ever written, but there are so many Ethiopian places in the DMV with better food, service, and prices, including ones just down the street from this place. For what it's worth, the staff/owners? were nice, but for the price and experience we had, I won't be taking my chances here again. read more

I am new to the DC area and was looking for an Ethiopian spot. I tried this place and I'm absolutely in love with the food. Upon entering the place, I could tell it was a family owned business and the head cook was the wife/mom which made me more eager to try the food! The food did take a while to come out (around 40 min) but that didn't bother me since the food and service was worth it. I ordered the combo veggie platter and the Kitfo (center of plate). The veggie platter was amazing, I particularly loved the collard greens and the lentils. It came with a side of injera, which is a pancake like bread, that you eat the dish with. It was my first time trying kitfo, I'm not accustomed to eating raw meat and just don't like the texture of it but this was so well made and flavorful I forgot it was raw! I'm definitely coming back here and would love to try more things off the menu :) read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - VEGGIE COMBO - 7 items and kitfo in the center - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So all these years later, they survived the pandemic and the owner STILL remembers me! They are the friendliest people, and their food and drinks remain top notch. The place looks just as I remember... same table placement and everything. I had a rather lengthy conversation with the owner about how they've been doing for the last few years, and I'm happy to report that they have been doing well! They even have a hookah lounge opening next door soon, so I wish them all the success! I made a promise to the owner that I will be bringing my family... and hopefully that can happen sooner than later. I can't wait! read more

I am a huge Ethiopian cuisine fan. I have been to most of the Ethiopian restaurants in the DC area so when I was browsing Yelp for a restaurant that I haven't tried before I came across this one. It was Saturday afternoon so as you know the restaurant scene in DC is pretty good and most of the restaurants are pretty much packed but not this one. Not one customer was in there during the peak lunch hour on a weekend. What do you have to say about that ? Hmmm, let's keep going. So I walk in and as a true Yelper I immediately check in and guess what I get a check in gift of one free Sambusa. I proudly walk in to the restaurant manger and show her my check in gift but to my disappointment the manger starts bashing Yelp by saying mean things about this App and about the company. I mean, this restaurant had no customers first of all and they get an Elite to visit their restaurant for lunch and they are being stingy by making a scene just for one free Sambusa which hardly costs anything. My initial thoughts were that this is crazy. No wonder no one wants to dine here. I kept my initial thoughts aside and continued with my order. One of the best rated was their vegetarian combo. So we order that with one extra Injira. One combo is good for two people. I went to the restroom to wash my hands and found that the restroom was not clean. Flush wasn't working so I hardly stepped in. It wasn't something that I wanted to see before my meal. Our food came in on time. They have a unique way of serving their platter. They bring curries in 7 different bowls and put it on top the Enjira in front of you. In my previous experiences they bring everything on top of the Injira from their kitchen directly. The food itself was alright. A little bland but I would rate them 4 stars for their food. Service was good if you take away that initial conversation we had regarding Yelp check in gift. The pricing is nominal. Manager gave us one free Sambusa anyways. Definitely affordable. Ambiance was alright Overall my partner and my friend wanted to give them 2 stars but I am little generous and gave them 3 stars. Hope you have a good experience! read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - Sambusa - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Ghion is warm and welcoming, and the staff is extremely kind and helpful. Even better, the food was also incredible. Our party of 10 split a few meat and vegetable combos and it was a great amount of food, packed with flavour, and easily shared. Surprisingly I especially liked the collard greens. I'll definitely be back. read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegetable combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Really confused by the 4 and 5 star reviews. Did I catch them on a bad day? Everything is really oily and tasteless. Also after taking a much closer look at these 5 star reviews you'll notice the Yelpers only have 1, 2 or 3 reviews total with many not having a photo. Do you find that a little weird??? I got the Ghion Combo 7 vegetarian items. Each item was super soggy and lacked flavor, I couldn't even tell which vegetable was which because it all tasted the same. I also added 1 meat item, the key wat which was soaked in oil, I couldn't even taste the meat because there was so much oil. And I ended up having a stomachache about 4 hours later. read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - Key Wat (Beef Stew) soaked in oil - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is an average Ethiopian restaurant. The food was not bad, but it did not have the bold flavor that I have come to associate with Ethiopian food. The service was super friendly and the location gave a neighborhood restaurant vibe (which is a great thing). Though the food was good, I had higher hopes. This is a good place to go if Heat Da Spot is too crowded. read more

I don't know much about Ethiopian food, so this won't really go into too much detail. My boyfriend and I wanted to get some as a recommendation from literally everyone who's been to D.C., so we found a place that had decent reviews. It's a very tiny space, probably enough to hold 20 people max, but there was a full bar to my boyfriend's delight. We got sambusas as an appetizer, which were pretty good for just being lentils in a pastry shell. The service was a bit slow, but we were trying to take our time anyway so it wasn't a big deal. The other food we got was a complete mystery to me since we ordered at the recommendation of the waitress who did not speak much English but was very helpful anyway. The food was cheap, delicious, and helped us feel like our trip to U-Street was mildly successful. The bottom line was that the food was good, and if you know anything (or not!) about Ethiopian food, I'd give this place a shot! read more

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We walked in by chance after a few other spots in the area did not have a menu that fit our diets or only served beverages. This spot is small and unassuming. The staff seemed to be few, had their hands full, and efficient. The food was superb. We were in the area for a concert but I would make the trip back to the area specifically to dine here. read more

Certainly, the U Street area has been a destination for Ethiopian food for a long time. But it's a changing neighborhood, and after a wave of development, this new restaurant seems almost a throwback. Small and unimpressive inside, and lightly staffed, but nonetheless offering impressive renditions of the things one expects. It was not populated by cab drivers as many local Ethiopian places have been, and I thought it a sign of the times that despite arriving with a beard, a salmon pink shirt, and my roundish Australian glasses, I was the least hipster person there. The larger of the two veggie combos they offer lets you choose seven options from their various strews. They don't let you get shiro, which is a fantastic spicy one that is similarly set aside by many Ethiopian places, probably for some cultural reason I don't understand. That leaves eight options, so you're basically getting everything but one (or doubling up on your favorites). Nonetheless, when I ordered, the proprietor just brought me all eight to try, and I must say that the eighth which I had opted to forgo, the whole lentils, was delicious. For that matter, the other seven all delivered as well, from the beets I am normally hit or miss on, to the spicy green beans and red hot lentils, to the cabbage and greens that made it a round meal. Everything was served on a huge injera, with another of the distinctively spongy flatbreads on the side for dipping. The option is given to order more or to get them gluten-free, but I found the included bread satisfactory. If you want an introduction to the range of flavors Ethiopian can offer, this is a good one. I had designs on dessert afterwards, but gave up due to being stuffed; I'd suggest ordering the smaller veggie combo or splitting the big dishes if you aren't starving. The downside for me that with only one person waiting on several tables, it was a rather slow evening, and it took a while to even get water when I ran out while downing the spiciest portion. Also, I rather wish they offered their sambusas vegetarian. That being said, it was probably the best Ethiopian restaurant experience I've had; food and value were great and I'd happily be back. read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The good here was some of the best food I've ever had. I will gladly make the hour trek back out to DC to enjoy eating here again

I had a late night craving for shiro and other favorites and it was cool to see this was open late. I love supporting Habesha restaurants in the DMV, but this food was just not it. The beef tibs were very different from what I am used to. I'm not sure if I got the wrong order, but I also didn't receive the shiro that I ordered. The injera was perfect though, texture wise and it's more than enough for what you order. The red lentils are also decent and made up for the otherwise disappointing meal. read more

I have ordered from them many times and they "skimp" on items but the last few times they have gotten my order slightly wrong. Today, they literally gave me what they wanted to and not what i ordered. read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Delicious and awesome service. Highly recommended for authenticity. Went there on a Saturday and loved it.

Perfectly fine, but not the most memorable Ethiopian food I've ever had. The shiro here is apparently the holy grail in terms of rarity. The way it is listed on the menu as a special side dish and not a regular add-on side for combos is strange in my experience with Ethiopian restaurants. My dining mates and I were thinking a special chef must come in to hand-grind homegrown chickpeas or something! This is also the first time my having shiro in the traditional ceramic bowl, so that was fun. We left feeling satisfied with our meal, but the ambience and aesthetic left little impressions. The most entertaining part was our server who went mama bear on us about finishing our plates when we were too full to lick our plates clean. It was comical and endearing, and I'm simply happy to support a local black-owned business on U Street Corridor since this is becoming harder and harder to accomplish. Sigh. read more

The food was amazing and delicious. The service was so kind and I felt loved and cared for. I loved the homey feelings of the place. Thank you so much for everything and I hope to come back soon! read more

The foods really good but the service is incredibly slow. We had to wait 30 minutes to order and another 45 for our food to come out. Try the honey wine and the number 24 (forgot what it was called but it's good) read more

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Omg I just love love the awake tins!! I was craving Ethiopian food and since most places are closed I was soo happy they were open till 10 or 11 but anyways after my run I ordered to go of course. The ribs were soo good I mean spicy but had a sweet mix to it because of the peppers and seasoning ! I loved it . They give you a good portion . I saved some for the next day! Still as delicious as the first day! Only thing I would suggest is that the Neat not be cooked soo well , it was hard but manageable. Best tins I ate those far! read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - 16. Awaze Tibis (Spicy sauted beef) - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had heard a lot about DC's Ethiopian restaurants, and based on the reviews, this seemed like a good one to try. Hidden amongst the various bars and restaurants of the U St area, Ghion is certainly a hole in the wall type place. It was small, but not too small for us to have a good time there. My girlfriend and I were seated immediately. One thing about our experience was that there weren't many other customers who came in and out while we were there (a Tuesday at dinner time). This made us sad because the food was excellent! However we did get to watch the restaurant owner's daughter coloring with crayons at a table across the restaurant, which was adorable. A few other family members and friends came in and interacted with her and we, too, felt like part of the family. I ordered the beef tibis, a spicy meat dish with jalapenos and tomatoes. It was indeed a little spicy for someone like me with a delicate palate, but the ever-present injera - a large, slightly sour but delicious pancake-like plate of bread - helped to counteract the spice, thank god. My girlfriend ordered the 4-item veggie combo, with kik alicha (split peas), misir alicha (lentils), fesolia (green beans), and dinich alicha (potatoes and carrots). I think she enjoyed it a little less than I enjoyed mine, but I tried it and all of the things she ordered were great. Disaster struck when we became full about halfway into our meal. The injera really stuffs your stomach, apparently. Luckily, the woman who ran the restaurant assured us that we could reheat the food, or eat it cold. She put it into a takeout box and we left with full, warm stomachs, and full, warm hearts. read more

Excellent food. Ambiance: Pretty mediocre. To be honest, if you were judging by outside and inside appearance you would probably not choose this place. Being bugged by flies throughout the meal didn't help either. Service: Okay. Since it's not a big place you will get served pretty quickly, but since the food is cooked to order you will have a little to wait for the food (but that is good, right?) Food: Simply marvelous. I have tried a lot of Ethiopian places in DC and this has the best tasting food yet. Simply amazing. The injera was light and fresh and the ribs was tender. But the real surprise was the short which is typically just okay at most places but here it was silky and divine. Cost: Very reasonable. Don't judge by appearances - judge by the food! read more

ordered beef and collard greens, and honestly this was the most lackluster plate of Ethiopian food I've ever tried. 5 cubes of beef and undercooked, thickly cut, barely seasoned collard greens for $27. I'm so disappointed. I'll have to stick to my tried and true places moving forward :( read more

Family run and well priced and packed on a FRI night. Could have a better wine list but the value was great and the food was delicious!

Went there while on vacation in DC. I had the jerky and steak tartare and it was lovely! Very kind staff too.

Just ok for all the talk about how great it is. I'd say Ethiopian food in the suburbs is now much better than in DC. Service was very kind and attentive, though, so the experience was nice overall. read more

The food was good, but not outstanding. I had 4 veg dishes; all were tasty but the peas were undercooked (and because they are dried peas, this made them a little bit crunchy). Injera was great, and really, the injera was what I was craving. Ghion is tiny, clearly a family owned place, with one server and presumably a couple of ppl in the kitchen. That part charms me and would bring me back. (Unless I were looking for ambiance, in which case I would keep looking.) read more

Very warm and personal service. Food served the traditional Ethiopian way. Feels like you are eating at your moms kitchen table.

I came in here the other night for a drink before the Ty Seagall show at the nearby 9:30 Club. Just a simple drink. The bartender, who I presume was an owner, poured me an ouzo, and then started telling me how gays are destroying the planet. She spewed Bible verses to justify her vile views, and even wondered aloud if I were gay. So, if you like your Ethiopian cuisine with a hearty side of religious-based hatred and stupidity, this is your joint! read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - The hate-spewing bartender. - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

A great and authentic find in such a fun and outgoing location! The restaurant itself is a bit small, but more in the way that it is very comfortable and homey on the inside which is really nice- especially if you are in smaller groups. We had split a double order of the vegan platter and were worried that it may not be enough food for the four of us, but was so filling and so delicious too! I've had authentic Ethiopian food many times before but Ghion was a delicious and not horribly pricy option! read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Super friendly waitstaff & delicious food! I especially liked the chopped fish & the potato/carrot stew. Really good, spicy tea too. read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Highlight of the restaurant was truly it's service. Staff or who I assume to be one of the owners took good care of me and my dining companions - was not the most memorable Ethiopian food experiences that I've had, but you cannot beat the prices, the authentic feel, and the hole-in-the-wall style. Menu warned that the food was spicy, but I think we handled it all just fine. I will say though, Ethiopian food is hit or miss for a lot of people, so please also keep that in mind when dining. read more

The environment is quiet but incredibly welcoming from the moment you walk in. We were greeted with such warmth and we were served very quickly. The food is incredible and a steal for the price. The potatoes & carrots, beets and spicy lentils were our favorite (we went vegan). Highly recommend. read more

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant - Green beans, potatoes and carrots, collards, cabbage, beets, corn, spicy lentils - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

"Hole in the wall" type place. Not busy at all on a Saturday night. Food was okay. Sadly bland for Ethiopian food.

Ordered delivery from them through door dash at 1:10AM and it was speedy! Ordered the meat sambusa, which is the Ethiopian version of a samosa, was phenomenal. Very flavorful! I also got the awaze tibis, which is sweet and tangy (slightly spicy) meat sautéed in oil, jalapeños, rosemary, and tomatoes. Ugh I could eat that for days! So much flavor - just the right amount of spice and savory, and sweet. The injera (spongy bread that is the carb base) was perfect although I ordered an extra order since I like a more 1:1 ratio. I wish we had this back in Charlottesville! read more