One of my favorite Ethiopian restaurants in the area. The food is always really tasty, and the…read morestaff is nice and friendly. I typically get a vegetarian combo and it always tastes delicious. On one visit, the owner stopped by our table and explained how Ethiopian food is typically eaten, which was such a thoughtful touch and really nice to learn. Overall, it's a great spot and one I'm always happy to come back to.

Promising First Visit, Let Down the Second Time - Wish There is a Negative Rating…read moreDec 2025 * Friends I wish there was negative rating!!! This was my second visit to Enat Kitfo, and unfortunately, it was completely different from my first -- in a very disappointing way. The first time, I happened to be in the neighborhood and searched for an Ethiopian restaurant nearby. I decided to try Enat Kitfo because it was nearby, and I was genuinely impressed. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and the server was kind and attentive. The owner even came to greet me, checked on my dish while I was eating, and made me feel welcomed. It was such a positive experience that I shared it with others and looked forward to coming back with my family. Because of that great first impression, I drove more than an hour for my second visit, this time with a friend who had just arrived from back home. We came around 6:00 PM, during the Eagles vs. Lions game in the 4th quarter -- it should have been a great evening. Unfortunately, the experience could not have been more different. The waitress was kind but inexperienced and had to ask the owner about everything. When the owner came out, he appeared unwelcoming and dismissive, which was surprising given how well he treated me during my first visit. As an Ethiopian who has lived in the Washington, DC area for a long time, this interaction reminded me of the old Ethiopian restaurant culture of the 1980s and 1990s, when Ethiopian customers were often treated poorly, while customers from other countries were treated as masters -- even though Ethiopia has never been colonized. Thankfully, competition have improved customer service standards over the years, which made this experience especially disappointing. We ordered Cotlet (fish) and Tsom Beyaynetu aka Veggie (Combo). The Cotlet (fish) was delicious, well prepared and enjoyable. However, it arrived without the combo. We waited, assuming the Tsom Beyaynetu (Combo) would follow, but no one checked on us. I eventually went to the bar to ask about it. The owner's response was simply "" (okay), with no concern or apology. When the combo finally arrived, it was delivered as if nothing had gone wrong. While the fish was very good, the Tsom Beyaynetu (Combo) -- which I had truly enjoyed during my first visit -- lacked flavor this time. There were many items on the plate, but none stood out as good. No one came back to check on us, and even ordering drinks required me to go to the bar myself. Overall, the service was extremely poor, worse than many Ethiopian restaurants from decades ago. With so many good Ethiopian dining options available today, I will not be returning. I truly want Ethiopian-owned businesses to succeed and flourish. However, I am accustomed to the American service standard and vote with my wallet. I do not accept neglect or disrespect as a customer. I hope this feedback is taken constructively so future customers are treated better and the business can improve. I wish Enat Kitfo the best, but without meaningful changes in service and consistency, it will be difficult to succeed in today's competitive environment.

Terrific meal and will be back again. Kitfo was a star and the greens were stellar. Braised lamb…read morewas another excellent protein. Red lentils were super. Service was efficient, very helpful, and friendly.

First of all, if you are going for the first time, make sure u check the name as this strip mall is…read morefilled with Ethiopian restaurants. And the restaurant number should be verified until the last alphabet. The restaurant is cozy with a small bar and room enough for probably 50 people including the bar. My wife and I tried the VIP platter at the chefs recommendation. The platter comes with Chicken and Beef with 6 veg side dishes over an Injera. U also get 4 injeras with the platter. As a first timer, the portion looked big for two folks. The food was not spicy as we thought it might be. The beef and chicken was good but the side dishes were awesome

After almost 7 years, I was in the area again and I was super happy to be able to come back…read more The food is still amazing The people are still awesome, one of the best services I've ever had. We all loved it, and can't wait to be in the area again !

Enatye is a true hidden gem, tucked away in the back of an industrial park. You'd never know it was…read morethere unless someone told you--or you were actively hunting for Ethiopian food. At first glance, I wasn't impressed ( yeah yeah judging a book by its cover... I know better) I was wrong. The food was very flavorful, generous, and downright satisfying. We started with the sambusas (meat and veggie). They were good, though a bit mild (personally for me), I still give the edge to an Indian samosa, but that's just me. The combo is absolutely the move. We shared a three-person platter with lamb, beef, and chicken tibs, plus a variety of vegetarian dishes (see photos). Everything came served on rolls of injera, the spongy Ethiopian flatbread. This is a hands-on meal. As in, you eat with your fingers. Yes... it was glorious. The presentation is classic Ethiopian style: a large platter lined with injera, topped with meats and vegetables spread out like they're feeding 50 million people. The trick is to tear off the injera under the food, not the extra rolls, because it soaks up all that flavorful gravy. It's harder than it sounds, but totally worth it. The main dishes were very flavorful. I was genuinely impressed by both the quantity and the depth of flavor across the entire meal. These are the happy surprises I live for. Highly recommend giving it a try.

Very casual Ethiopian restaurant with a solid menu of very authentic dishes that come in very large…read moreportions I came here for dinner with my fiancé and we early could have split one of the entrees between the 2 of us. Also, they really don't skip on the meat here which I love. Food was very tasty The place is also attached to a small Ethiopian coffee shop that also has a variety of desserts

After hearing so much buzz about the Ethiopian food scene in DC, I eagerly came to Dama based on a…read morerecommendation from a friend to check out the hype. As a verdict: Dama is so good that I find myself craving for it the very next day. Each dish is served in a sizable portion with the meat and veggies deliciously spiced and seasoned, all served on top of the soft pillowy bed of injera. Our group shared four different dishes: Special Veggies Combo, Fish Goulash, Lamb Alicha, and Lamb Tibs. We couldn't stop eating, but we also couldn't finish the food despite our best effort. Considering the quantity and quality of what you get, the price-point is more than reasonable. Service can be slow, likely because all dishes were served at once, so don't go there famished. We waited about half an hour before our food arrived, but once it did, it was worth the wait. The injera is refillable, which is awesome since it paired very well with all of the curries and cubed meat of each dish. There's a small parking lot in front of the shop, and it was easy for us to find parking there around dinner time. I'd happily go there again on my next trip to DC.

Are you tired of eating the same few cuisine all the time? Sushi and burger and the usual? Well,…read moreventure out and try Ethiopian food. 1. Reservation: recommended if you are coming on Friday or Saturday. 2. Food: very good - Enjara: the bread made of teff. it is very unique and it was my first time trying it and I loved it - collared green was good - yellow split beans were excellent options for vegetarion dish - red lentils were unique in seasoning. 3. Drinks they have full bar, mixed drinks and beer and wine options are available. 4. Service: very nice and welcoming 5. Extra: they serve their Ethiopian drink Tej is an aded bonus, it is nothing like I know. Technically a honey-wine. 6. They have LIVE MUSIC! call and check with them. Artists usually come on Saturdays. Cannot wait to check them out. Highly recommend!!

I took my wife and son. We got the veggie and meat combo. The food was amazing and the service was…read moregreat. They were very pleasant and attentive. We ended our meal with a coffee, which I would definitely recommend. We will be returning.

There are a lot of hip new Ethiopian places in DC. This Alexandria spot has been around a long…read moretime, and feels like it, for better or for worse. More for better in my opinion. The online ordering system was a bit baffling. There were a million boxes to check when I ordered a veggie combo, but it wasn't clear whether, for example, a drink was included or whether I had any actual choice of vegetables. I left it mostly alone. Their menu is varied. I had three different choices of sambusas, the fried savory pastry, and their mixed vegetable one had potatoes, green beans, and a distinctive sour spice mix. A more conventional spicy lentil creation also fit the bill. Getting a veggie combo to go left me with a bunch of small containers, each with a delightfully distinctive option. You'll get a wonderfully balanced meal this way, with many colors, flavors and textures. I opted to spend extra money to get 100% teff injera (this flatbread is usually made with a mix of Ethiopian grain and regular wheat when you order it at restaurants), which was spongy and a bit too crumbly for my liking. Gluten-free diners, and indeed most people with special dietary needs, will rejoice.

Words cannot express how much I love this place. My friends and I have been here three times so…read morefar, and every time the food is exceptional, service is kind, warm and welcoming, and the ambiance is very calm and relaxing. Hawwi is such an absolute gem in our neighborhood. Prices are extremely reasonable, and the portions are huge! They are also extremely family friendly. I really appreciated that they had small actual silverware and mini bottles of water for kids. My favorite dishes are so far their lentil sambusas, the vegan sampler and the tilapia. The baklava is also absolutely out of this world. Please if you are in the neighborhood, visit this place. They will make you feel like family! I even used some of my leftovers for my daughters school lunch the next day, and she ate it all!

I have passed by this place many of times the past few years and kept telling myself that maybe…read moreI'll try it out sometime but never have until last night. I am very glad I did! I have always gone to Enat a couple miles down the road the past few years, but it was always unpredictable how it would be. Sometimes the food and service was fantastic, other times it was Ok, and last month it was awful...so last night when we were craving Ethiopian food, we decided to try Monarch. The service was absolutely fantastic and the food was amazing! The two of us ordered the vegetarian combo and I don't remember what meat/tibs because we asked the server which one she recommended and went with that. The food was definitely better than a couple other Ethiopian places I have been to in the area and the portion was generous! I almost thought we accidentally ordered a double portion of meat because it was a much bigger portion than I received from other places. I had leftovers for later that night and again today. The food was a little bit longer of a wait than I expected, but to me that just means they are making it from scratch and that it is fresh. The bill came to around $30 before tip which is quite a deal for that much food of great quality. The service was also very good with our server being friendly and attentive. Not only that, two other workers there...maybe the owner or chef (I'm not sure) dropped by to check on how we were and how the food was. If they keep this up, watch out Enat and other Ethiopian places in the area. You have some competition from Monarch!

3.5/5 Tucked in a…read morestrip of Little River Turnpike dominated by office buildings and a gas station, Monarch offers a terrific selections of Ethiopian fare at a fair pricepoint. I ended up at this restaurant on my lunch break thinking I'd just order some Chicken tibs to go, but was nudged to dine in by a welcoming host. I could afford a longer lunch break today, I thought and glad I did. I ordered the vegetarian combo and was immediately impressed by the selection and flavor. I'm always a fan of the Misir Wot and loved their rendition of it. All of the different parts were great: the creamy kik alicha, the tangy gomen, and the refreshing tomato salad. The place proved solid and I would come again!

Food was amazing! Service was quick and sweet!…read moreIt's BYOB so i love the atmosphere.. It's something about Ethiopian collard greens that I love. They taste so natural yet so flavorful.

A humble but delicious Ethiopian experience…read more Tigi's Ethiopian Restaurant is the best Ethiopian restaurant in Howard County. While it doesn't sport a large establishment with only modest decorations, the quality of the food they serve makes it well worth repeat visits. Tigi serves traditional Ethiopian food, small blended dishes, typically pastes or chopped meats and vegtables, heavily seasoned and topped on injera, a flat spongy bread that has a hint of sour flavor. The injera is both your plate and utensils as you tear off chunks of it to grab and scoop your other dishes. Ethiopian food is typically communal, shared among friends and family, but Tigi offers smaller portions that can be personalized if you're more comfortable not sharing. If you're new to Tigi, or Ethiopian food in general, I suggest their Meat Combo 3, which offers three different meat dishes and three different vegetable dishes. You get some level of customization for the dishes, and I suggest getting a beef, chicken, and lamb dish and any of the vegetable dishes that catches your eye. The vegetable dishes are also vegan friendly! I don't suggest ordering extra injera, as Tigi provides a mountain of them with any of their combo meals. One of Tigi's biggest strengths is that you can order their food to go, making them the first Ethiopian takeout spot I've ever been to. Tigi also has a small connected store that acts as an Ethiopian market. If you love Ethiopian or want to try it, Tigi's is a great spot in Howard County.

My partner and I always order from DoorDash and the food has always been delicious. It tastes even…read morebetter dining in the restaurant! It was our first time eating inside and the service was great. It's a chill and welcoming environment. The staff was nice and attentive! We enjoyed watching Ethiopian music videos while waiting for our meal. We love all the sides that come with the Baltimore, especially the yellow split peas and cabbage with carrots and potatoes. The special tibs are always flavorful as well as the Alicha wot. We left fully satisfied with our meal and with food babies. I will always come back to my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Bmore.

I was in the mood for some Ethiopian cuisine and came across this location!…read more I was greeted and able to choose a table of my picking. I dined in during the afternoon (lunch time). The restaurant seemed very empty, as I was the only one dining in. I did see a'lot of people ordering takeout, so my guess is that business ramps up in the evening. The ambiance was relaxed with dim lighting. Now, onto the cuisine! I ordered a Kala and a Beef Sambusa as appetizers. The kala was very delicious! A jalapeño pepper stuffed with minced jalapeño, tomatoes, and peppers! It was the perfect mixture of both spicy and savory. The beef sambusa was oh so smooth! The beef was nice and seasoned, and the shell was nice and crispy too! For my main meal, the lamb for the awaze tibs was seasoned extremely well and tender!!! The spicy red lentils were oh so dreamy, and the collard greens hit my spirit with a powerful medley of flavor!

(5) ~ Excellent Food & Service! The Tej (Honey Wine) by the glass was still slightly oxidized, so I…read morerecommend getting a full unopened bottle to make sure it's fresh;)

While the menus at Ethiopian restaurants tend to be somewhat similar, Sheba stood out to me in some…read moregood ways. One way that I always like is seeing something on the menu I rarely see at other Ethiopian restaurants. That was their Chicken and Spinach option. The other was, for lack of a better term, a "lightness" to some of the entrees. This was particularly true of the meat dishes. While always tasty,they sometimes have a heavier, or oilier taste to them. The dishes here, in particular the chicken dishes, tasted lighter and fresher. The atmosphere here is a bit quieter, we had great service, and overall it was a very enjoyable experience.