So I wandered in on my usual where should I eat. I thought I wanted Caribbean, but the spot was packed full of people and I don't enjoy my meals with a side of COVID. Found parking on Silver Spring and walked back to Fenton to see what was there and saw the patio. It was 9:45 and the kitchen was closing at 10:00 but the waitress kindly allowed me to order and sat me. Apparently the kitchen closes at 10 but the restaurant/bar is open til 11. Their bartender was gone but the waitress poured my scotch and for ME, their selection is amazing. Great liquors. If you like whiskey, scotch or bourbon they've got you covered. I will admit that I didn't even glance at the wines, and they don't have a mixed drink menu. Apparently when the bar keeper is there he can make what you want but I'm not sure how that works... They're Macallan not Johnnie Walker FYI and I had the 15 and it was good. I usually prefer the 12 sherry but they didn't have that. The restaurant was sparsely populated and social distancing was easy, I had the veggie platter and it is MASSIVE. Enough for 2 people with leftovers!! The injeera was delicious, but the food on the platter took the cake- 3 types of lentils- yellow, brown and black, gomen, atakilt wat, alecha wat (cabbage and carrots), beets which I usually hate but were delicious as well as cauliflower shiro (chickpea) and salad. It was all so good. They'd have to be given the number of Ethiopian restaurants in downtown SS but I think I've found MY spot! read more

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe - The food - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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This visit was different from my first (Uber eats delivery. Superb flavor) 2nd. Drove there for take out. Great food again but they forgot my extra injera. They don't give as much as most Ethiopian restaurants. 3rd. Drove there again. Coffee was delicious. Had a bit of a wait but it was before 12pm. I get it. Just enjoyed my coffee as I waited. Everyone is very nice and helpful. Once my order was ready, I asked about my extra injera I paid for. Again, not in the bag. No biggie. She got it for me. I was disappointed when I got home. I paid $18 for awaze tibs. First time seeing a half container of food. The worst thing was the beets that were plopped into the container as if an afterthought. The veggies have been superb but missed the mark today. Maybe a different cook?? The green beans were way over cooked and oily. I believe they were days old. The misir wot, one of my favorite dishes, is inedible. So much salt i couldn't even stand it mixed with something less salted. The gomen , cabbage and potatoes were delicious. I will try them again but today was a bit disappointing. Wish there was more consistency. This happens when there are different cooks in the kitchen. read more

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe - Awaze tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Our 4th time here. Bright atmosphere, friendly staff, and delicious food. A variety of Ethiopian dishes, good meats, and lots of vegetarian options. We will keep returning! read more

The food is not good and my one of my frind he got sick so I don't think it's fresh food to

Really great Ethiopian Restaurant in Downtown Silver Spring. I've been to many Ethiopian restaurants for vegan food within the DMV and this spot really was one of the best I've had. The variety of vegan options offered is impressive versus other restaurants for the price. Nice location and friendly staff. They also serve great coffee and pastries as well. I would highly recommend! read more

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe - Our Traditional Veggie Platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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I don't the business owner doesn't care about the way that he talks with customers he's very rude. Looks at his appearance at the window. It's wrong it's not $9.99 it's $18. read more

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe - Very rude man the owner of the business and rude women and with older senor people. - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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This is one of many many choices in downtown Silver Spring for Ethiopian food. So why would you go here? I don't know why you would go, but I know why I liked it. Everyone inside was clearly happy about the lovely evening music. The waitress was very helpful when ordering, but she didn't come back to check on our water needs. Anyhow, I only eat the 'real' gluten free injera, and here, it is solid. It isn't dry and crumbly and bland. It holds its own and is moist and pliable. The platter is also covered in the gluten free injera, so, yes, thank you! It's really tasty! It may be my favorite yet! They do charge for the traditional injera- $3 for the base and $3 for the extra basket. Also, all of the veg entree dishes or wots/ stews are vegan. You don't have to ask. It just is vegan. So, all of my concerns for my diet at an Ethiopian restaurant are gone. So, now I can consider what to order. I guess that's the problem. There are, as always, many dishes to choose from. Somewhere around 8-10, I believe. You have the fosolia, the yellow split peas, the salad, the fit fit x2, the green lentils, the Berbere lentils, the chickpea balls, the collards/ gomen, the cabbage gomen, the beets and the shiro. So... really, when ordering veg Ethiopian what is the right choice? A combination platter! Yes! They have 2 smaller combinations and one with what seems like all the dishes. Whatever you order you'll enjoy. The food is not overly salted by any measure of my tastebuds. So, that's awesome! Then I don't need extra injera to sop up the salt. Also there isn't excessive oil to make my fingers extra messy. However, I will say that I would've liked a little more flavor to the green lentils and less to the chickpea balls, but other than that, it was a solid meal of which I should've split in half... oh well. Happy belly! The place is a little small, but there is a little bit of outdoor seating too. That's nice if it's a lovely night for being outside! read more

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe - Ate this... almost all.... vegan platter.... - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Came back and it seems like they've gotten new chairs. I didnt like how they had a fan blowing inside while we eat. It dried my eyes out. Just like my prior visit the food was delicious. It came out in a reasonable time however the waiters are a little slow at getting us water, menus and checking us out. read more

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe - Kitfo - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

On my 3rd and 4th stop, definite improvements on food quality!! Service is excellent. I noticed they've had the same staff for 2yrs now and that's always a beaming sign of harmony :) read more

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The food is delish and the staff so sweet. I love it here. Veggie platter is the bomb!!

If I could give 0 stars I would!! Deplorable customer service. Ordered online. I received an email from yelp saying it would be ready in 15-35, after waiting an hour for good measure, i went to pick up my order and it still wasn't ready. HOW SWAY?!? Immediately requested a refund, the guy helping rudely started doing other things and helping a young lady with the espresso machine. When I called him out on it, he was attentive. The manager came out and told me to request a refund through yelp, but she did not even apologize even though she acknowledged it was their error. who gives their money to these people?!?! i won't be back. went to bete ethiopian cuisine instead, where the customer service was exceptional and the food was delicious! read more

Hands down best Ethiopian food in the DMV area! Love the food and the vibe of the place. Do yourself a favor and try the combination platters so you can have a little bit of everything. read more

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe - Veggie platter with Tibs, lamb Wot, and, Gomen Besiga - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Limited options for Uber eats so I suggest you check it out in person. They are currently remodeling but don't let that stop you from going as there is a brand new area in the back that's open. Also this is a great place to watch soccer games. read more

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe - Goden,Tibs and fim tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

The day was my Father's Day . It was nice sunnny afternoon. We headed to come to lasaac Ethiopian cafe party of six for my Father's Day to have a good time . But everything is changed. Once we get inside to the restaurant .strange thing happened.waitress, nobody give us attention to arrange the table for six. And we stay in the middle of the floor for few minutes suddenly l believe acting as manager lady come to us set a table for us . We look at the table was not clear un sanitize and un comfortable for special need person. We are not happy for thing happen like that.we left from you lasaac cafe .I hope you gonna correct the mistake. read more

I love this restaurant, I would say one of the best Ethiopian restaurants around Silver Spring area. The only reason I'm not giving it a five star is due to the lack of servers. But again that's so common in Ethiopian business. There is always shortage of servers so I usually order before heading there. read more

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe - Doro Wot, Fim Tibs, and Shifinfin. Good for five people - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

If you want mediocre customer service where they will over bill you, then this is your place. The food is alright, but the whole experience would rather want you to just stay at home. The management is very rude, and not accommodating at all. Just go to Shegar next door for a nice experience. They have a wonderful variety of veggie platter, or if you are really craving a good quality Ethiopian food without any drama then Rohobot on Georgia is also very good! read more

I have been going to Lessac for years. It's literally one of my favorite Ethiopian restaurants in downtown Silver Spring. My go to is the Engugruo it is absolutely delicious. The meat is always tender, the Injera is perfect. I literally spot in at least once or three times a week. Staff is always super kind and friendly. read more

Finally, I have found an Ethiopian restaurant that I could say really justifies what this Eastern African cuisine is all about. The Veggie platter blew us away with the variety of vegetable dishes with their freshness, flavors, and cooking. The Doro Wat dish was completely revelatory for me with the secret being the sauce, and I waited all these years to savor a version that spoke volumes to me. The Fish Gulash was definitely another hit with its mild sweet fillets covered by a savory bright sauce. For breakfast, I would not hesitate ordering their Meat Omelet that was both comforting and satisfying. With food this good and definitely authentic, judging by the nearly all Ethiopian clientele (interestingly nearly all male, but a cultural norm), this is another new-find and a favorite locale for this cuisine. Read rest of Blog at Wongeats website. read more

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The wait was 2 hours and was told you need to wait longer for your food.I ordered breakfast combo, without letting us know they replaced the chechebsa with firfer and when I asked the owner she replied if you don't want it, I can take it. Her attitude was terrible. Food was okay and our server was nice!! I read more

First of all.. im funny about Ethiopian food..my craving was getting stronger ,but it really wasn't anywhere I liked..sooo I tried here..and I wasn't disappointed ..I always eat veggie platter..it was good but needed more spicy..will try again read more

The waitress was friendly, and the ambiance was cozy. I guess I should blame myself for ordering an omelet at an Ethiopian restaurant; amongst mouth watering tibs and the unforgettable Doro-wot (for its deliciousness and its quarrel with my stomach later). So I ordered a veggie omelet, which according to the menu, came with mushrooms(and this is why I ordered it, I love mushrooms in my omelet.). The omelet arrived looking unshapely and withered, without mushrooms. I asked about mushrooms and the waitress's response was "sorry, we don't have mushrooms." At this point, I wondered why she had omitted such vital information when she took my order. I imagine their Ethiopian cuisine is delicious, judging by the smell that sent me into deep regret for ordering the damned omelet. read more

If you are trying Ethiopian food for he first time this is the best place to go they have great authentic Ethiopian food and good coffee and tea. I have been to this place multiple times and in never disappoints. read more

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I ordered lamb tibs and they were extra dry with no seasoning. However; when I called them about it they did offer to re-cook it. It's okay. I can re-cook it myself so that it actually taste good. read more

It was really good! The Doro Wat was top notch but it only came with one small chicken wing and one egg. Not a mistake I asked the waitress. But the sauce was top notch, rich and dark and they give you ALOT of sauce! We also had the Vegetable combo and it was impressive as well, everything delicious. Quality up there with shagga and about the same price, they give you a bit more here and it's a little more oily too. A game was playing inside and the place was packed! The owner carried a table out to the patio for us. Food took a solid 30 mins but was worth the wait. read more

This is the kind of a place where you walk in and simply feel at home - you know the next time you find yourself there isn't far off! A friend of mine who is in love with their "Tegabino - Shiro" introduced me to Lesaac recently, and I have been taking friends and visitors ever since. You'll love the Euro-café vibe with its American diner style bright colored, comfy booth seating and display of pastries right when you step in. While it has this Euro-American fusion atmosphere and modern presentation, the food is 100% Ethiopian. Their breakfast is superb any day of the week, with a to-go service for hot drinks. If you are also looking for a place to watch a game, their bar is friendly and accommodating. I have been to a number of places in the DMV metro area for Ethiopian food but none come close to this small friendly Café/restaurant on the corner of Fenton St and Silver Spring Ave. Why? Three things - authentic, fresh and friendly! It is hard to deliver quality customer service with speed but they have it at Lesaac. The second you walk in, you are greeted with a friendly staff and your drinks are before you shortly after. 20mins is the max I had to wait for my food. If it is the first time you are there, the staff is always helpful to spot out just the right dish. The menu is also simple enough to give you a good idea of what to order. If you are a meat lover, naturally there is quite an array of authentic Ethiopian dishes. My personal favorite is the "Lesaac Shifinfin Platter" - it is an intimidating sight - huge! But quite appetizing at the same time - you'll find it hard to believe when an empty tray is lifted off your table moments later. Order this only if you are with a friend or two. I like it because it has three of my favorite freshly cooked dishes all in one plate; roasted lamb (Lega tibs), the Ethiopian signature raw meet dish "Kitfo" (you can have this cooked at different degrees) and the Tibs Ferfer (Lesaac speciality). You want a one person serving, go with the "Lega Tibs" - you can never go wrong with that one! And don't be disheartened if you are the vegetarian, Ethiopian food has a lot to offer. The veggie platter is always the best and right choice. The last thing, I'd mention is the complementary fresh salad dish that comes with any meal you order. I recommend this place for Ethiopian food lovers, first timers and just for casual exploratory dinning experience. read more

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Not welcoming, cold food, little to no customer service and poor waiters, it was observed all Ethiopian clients were greeted and served promptly. It's a shame, first and last time dining here. It can be kept insiders only. The food was watered down on spice and flavor. My friend was so disappointed and felt so inhospitable he sent his food back before it arrived. Definitely don't go, or risk feeling othered. read more

Their food is good but customer service is unprofessional. Tried to order delivery from them and they cancelled my order after making me wait 30 minutes on two separate occasions. read more

Great food. Make sure you try the veggie combo platter and the injera from Ethiopia (made with teff and gluten-free). We had no issues with service like some other yelpers have mentioned. The dori wot was disappointing. The flavor was great, but there was only one chicken drumstick and one hard boiled egg in a large bowl; not really shareable and for price, I expected more. read more

I miss the food !! It's been a week already that I visited Lesaac while I'm in DC visiting my family from Toronto . The food was absolutely wonderful from preparation to presentation . I especially enjoyed the special kitfo ( ground beef mixed with special spice and butter) and Gomen Besega ( ask the server if you don't know what it is ) . The service was amazing . It's a good place to meet friends and enjoy the night . This is one of the best Ethiopian restaurant by-far .I would definitely go back . Thank you Lesaac for being great !! Tsedi. read more

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

The food is amazing and we have been coming here for years. However the service is very bad. We sat for about 15 mins waiting for a server to come take our orders and get us water. Once the food arrived, we weren't given any napkins. The waitress move very fast without making eye contact with guests so it's really tricky to get their attention. I kept going to the bar a few times to get some items for our table like extra injera. My friend order tea at the end of dinner, we waited for over 30 mins and it never came. Sadly, I will continue to come back because the food is sooo good but I wish management can take the time to really train their staff. The service will ruin their reputation. read more

The food and service was amazing! Came on a Saturday afternoon, and was seated immediately. Try anything recommended by frequent visitors or the waitresses, and you can't go wrong. Come hungry, because you'll need the room! read more

Beautiful restaurant, friendly staff and great food! I recommend the veggie platter, it's definitely enough food for two people. Will come back! read more

When you're a vegetarian + pescetarian like me, you want your options to be endless. They've got that here for you! I really love the sambusas here. They are the best. I know there's tons of Ethiopian restaurants in the surrounding area, within walking distance even! But if I have to rank everyone's sambusa, Lesaac sambusa goes at the top of the list! read more

Great Ethiopian restaurant. In the heart of Silver Spring and the service was to die for, complete hand on. My girlfriend had never had Ethiopian, she is Dominican and she loved the food. THANKS Hanna for the best service ever and making her feel right at home. read more

New restaurant! Right now it seems to be one of the best kept secrets of Silver Spring: no yelp entry until this review, no web site, pretty much all the clientele was Ethiopian besides us. The business is looking to change that, though! I tried their sampler first at the annual "Taste the World in Fenton Village event," and it was delicious. Finally had the opportunity to go back there yesterday, and it did not disappoint. Party of four, we got the Key Wot, Special Beef Tibs (don't remember the Ethiopian name, sorry!), Shifinfin, and Kitfo. While everything was incredibly good (particularly if you like things a little spicy), the special beef tibs were a hit with everyone, served hot in a fun cast iron bowl and seasoned to perfection. The Kitfo is essentially the Ethiopian take on beef tartar: raw, high quality beef that melts in your mouth. My personal favorite, but definitely not for everyone. Raw beef might seem odd to us American folk, but if you like sushi and the rarer cuts of steak, this is definitely worth a try. Key Wot came with some salad (a little spicy!), and is beef in a nice, dripping berbere sauce. Shifinfin was a curried version of beef. All the portions were massive, and priced very reasonably at $10-14 each. We could've easily split one between two people, but we were gluttons :P One of us still ended up wrapping up about 3/4 of her meal. The injera here, the spongy Ethiopian bread served with pretty much everything, was delightful. Not too bitter like another place I've been to. Soaks up the sauce and holds everything, but you'll still get some sauce on your hands. No need to worry, though. After the meal they bring everyone some hand wipes to clean up anything that soaked through. I'll be back a third time, most definitely. read more

We went to Lesaac for dessert after seeing a movie at the AFI. Kaldi's was closed, Bump & Grind was closed, Peet's was closed, and then we walked past Lesaac. On a Saturday night, the place was packed - couples on dates, friends hanging out, families eating dinner - and really vibrant. The dessert that we ordered - a piece of chocolate cake, and a piece of fruit cake - wasn't really all that remarkable (it actually tasted a bit on the mass-produced side), but the vibe was great and the staff was friendly. It was a nice enough vibe that I'd return to give the food - which looked really good - a shot. read more

I am writing this review specifically for their food that I have never been disappointed since day one. It has been a while since I went to the place but I did order my lunch today via Uber, delivered on time. My order Vegetarian combo that comes with a side not only the portion was big but also delicious. For those who craving authentic Ethiopian food, I highly recommend to check this place. read more

We parked between Addis Ababa and Lesaac on Saturday night and debated which way to go. We chose Lesaac based on the fact that there were lots of people there and almost all looked Ethiopian. I had a moment's pause when we got to the door and realized most were there to drink beer, not eat the food. But I am so glad we stayed! By the end of the meal all agreed the food was a cut above Addis Ababa's. The fish goulash was one of the best Ethiopian dishes I've ever had (the waitress warned us it was spicy but it was not actually that hot, and really delicious). The veggie sampler is plentiful and tasty. We ordered fish and two samplers and that was plenty of food for four people. The seating is comfortable, more an homage to Italian design and not those carved wooden chairs that look so "authentic" but are so uncomfortable. The waitress was friendly and attentive. Overall a great experience. We'll definitely be back. read more

My work colleague and I eat lunch together 5 days a week. We're both vegan and have been several years. Ethiopian cuisine is among our favorites--along with Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Indian. We believe there are 13 Ethiopian restaurants in Silver Spring--at least we've been to 13 here. Of those, Lesaac is our favorite. The variety of vegetarian food is better than the others, they have 100% tef injera--a huge plus--and their waitresses are so friendly. We have never found the service to be slow like some of the other reviews. We've noticed each time we are the only Caucasians in the restaurant--the rest appear to be Ethiopian--and a lot of them, at that. We love this place. read more

This is from one visit but I rate it highly. They have good food, well-prepared. We went for a weekday lunch and, while not nearly "full", there were several diners there, and we were the only non-Ethiopians there. Large portions, good injera. This is one of the few places I can think of that has a full vegan menu and also seemed to have good meat. I didn't actually sample the beef but it looked good, and was served sizzling from a metal plate. We had "Vegetarian Combo II" ($15, vegan) and it was more than filling. If the dinners are the same, this place would be worth visiting. One downside - a video advertising board. read more