My partner and I road-tripped for our anniversary to DC and was looking for a late night meal. We stumbled on this restaurant that was open and still serving food. We had gotten the chekena tibs and awaze tibs with our kind and hosptiable waitress's recommendation. Mind you, it's about 1am. The food came out quickly and was hot, I'm not sure which is which but they both were well seasoned and absolutely delicious. I would've loved some rice to sop up all that yummy sauce and green spicy sauce. It was such a pleasant surprise to have something new and truly feel nourished from it. Also we had gotten drinks I wine and a shot but my partner got a tequila lime, which he says was nice and strong. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The music was beautiful but a lil loud where it was hard to hear the waitress and one another.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Otherwise a great time and good opener to our visit. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - chekena tibs and Awaze Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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The food was authentic and really tasty. I enjoyed most of what we tried. Both the beef tips and vegetable combo were great but the chicken was a little bit overcooked. There was also a woman roasting coffee and it was really good. Our server was nice and helpful as well, and I'd definitely try it again! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Doro Wot Chicken Ethiopian Style and Vegetable Combination - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Great food horrible customer service. For some unexplainable reaskn they won't take Apple Pay at the bar... at least not in the evening. DON''t waste your time unless you want to pay CASH fo LATE NIGHT drinks. read more

Food was unrecognizable i could NOT eat! When i called the owner he Said it was a organic baby chicken! I almost died for that! He promise to refund my money he did not read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Nasty food - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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a hometown staple for me. the best ethiopian food in the dmv. this platter was for 5 people and we were all full after. extremely affordable too coming to $12 a person including tip! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - veggie platter with lentils, cabbage, beets, tomoatoes meat platter w derek tibs, beef tibs, - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Since the last time I reviewed (in 2013), the ownership appears to have changed. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The social atmosphere is not what it once was. It is more formal now.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Some patrons prefer that. The food is still great! Please enjoy this experience. read more

The service was decent . The young lady was very polite. When I walked in and sat at the initial table that I chose, there were a group of ladies having a traditional coffee ceremony. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The incense was so strong it took my breath away.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The server, me to another table. While there, another couple walk into the restaurant sit down at the table a tall man who I assumed was the manager and worked at the restaurant along with the same server that was serving me, came out to speak with them in conversation in a friendly manner. He did the same thing for a couple of other people. me in conversation. No one asked me how I was feeling. Although she did apologize for the incense. No one else acknowledged me. I felt isolated like, they were in their own and I was an intruder. When the food came. The server was still very very polite. She gave me my food, asked me if I was OK and then left me to Eat The food was BLAND . It was lumpy, and bland. There was no real taste to it. After I finished eating, I went to the bathroom. It was dirty, and the lady that was preparing the coffee for the other ladies that we're having the coffee ceremony be standing there talking on the phone. In short, not the greatest Ethiopian experience I've ever had. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place was dark, dingy, other than the server the people were rude.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] And I won't be going back. read more

Food in Lucy is 100% fabulous! I had my very first Ethiopian food experience of my life this early spring in Lucy. I must say Ethiopian food is a taste sensation! They are incredibly tasty! Ethiopian food is on my second love food list, even if I am not a fan of the sour sponge bread. If the owner read my comment here: can you please clean your restaurant windows? And renew the shop sign a bit? read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - a plate of ethiopian food - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Went here with my cousin on 11/19/33 around 9:30pm. Most of the customer base was Ethiopian. Ive never had Ethiopian. The decor was the appealing nor welcoming. Your welcome to seat wherever you like. When I walked in I was smacked by the incense being burnt. Our server came over and went over the menu options but it was kind of hard to hear her over eh music. I ordered rum and coke. My cousin ordered bottle water. We ordered the vegan combination for the table. Rum and coke strong ad fudge. Now that vegan combination was so good. The beets were flavorful. Who would have ever thought beets would be that's good. The curry was good too but the lentil mixtures were by far my favorites. Definitely a intimate spot and I would highly recommend this spot. They could work on the customer service. Wasn't terrible but could use some improvement. Prior to departure they started to play live music. Date night friendly. I will definitely visit again. My total bill was 47.51. Affordable eating. read more

From inattentive staff to terrible food this place is a hard pass. - The lentil sambusa arrived frozen in the center. - The main dishes took a long time to come out from the kitchen. - The spinach in the veggie combo had a very fishy taste. - our check at the end of the night was incorrect and took over 20 min to fix. There are plenty other Ethiopian cuisine options nearby that are so much better. Better to pass on this! read more

Food is so delicious wonderful service and [[HIGHLIGHT]]vibes and it smells so good inside the restaurant[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Awaze Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Food was okay, they ran out of doro wat which we really wanted to try. We asked them to explain the dishes as it was our first time, and it felt very rushed and did not really explain it well. Service was slow. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegan Combination with fish and beef in the middle. - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Everything was top tier delicious! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The customer service and atmosphere were amazing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I highly recommend trying this spot! read more

Ohhhh how I cringe at writing reviews that are below 3 stars, but the last experience was...how do I put this...gross? The food is overpriced and had an odd taste. While the presentation is up to par, the quality is not. The vegetables tasted as if the food was cooked in a pan with burnt veggies. Veggie platters are usually my go-to for Ethiopian food, and unfortunately while this establishment delivers (through Postmates) they don't deliver in taste. The tibs sandwich also left something to be desired. Red meat typically has more flavor, but for some reason this time it didn't. Maybe they didn't let it marinate long enough? Who knows. $23 wasted, and that's not counting the tip and delivery fee. Never again :( read more

I have also been here with my mother back in 2015 after I moved in and found the food less impressive compared to other places. I ended up coming back here with my father and wife for lunch before he left town after our wedding in late March as we walked into here rather than Langano next door which is one of our favorites. The food seemed better than several years ago however I now eat meat in non kosher restaurants and stuck to vegetarian or fish options before. I remember sharing the Yebeg Girgiro and something else with my wife and perhaps something else with my father as well. I also had a cranberry juice to drink. It is still not quite worthy of a five star review like several other places in the Downtown Silver Spring but still a good place overall. Personally I'll likely go to the other places as there is a big selection of Ethiopian restaurants in DTSS including a few I have yet to try. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Yebeg Girgiro - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I stopped here late one night, it was the only place open on my way home that wasn't fast food. I'm so glad I did! The food was delicious! I ordered beef tibs, they came out so quickly, and it was so tasty. They came with rice, onions, tomatoes, and some pepper sauce. The pepper isn't too spicy. Great ratio of meat to rice. And the cubes of meat are a good size too. Not too big, not too small. I'm excited to come back and try new food here! read more

Had this place bookmarked and decided to finally give them a try a few days ago with another foodie! I enjoy this cuisine, although I must admit it took some time before I got to truly enjoy and appreciate it. Located in an area with so many other options for Ethiopian food, I couldn't help but wonder how do they even compete?! On a Monday evening, it wasn't super packed so getting seated right away wasn't an issue. There were a few other patrons. The space is cozy and intimate and there is some outdoor seating. I enjoyed our meal. We shared the awaze lamb and beef tibs with a side of tomato salad and cabbage. For the most part, everything was tasty. I found the beef to be a little too dry, but it was still flavorful. I asked for extra awaze sauce on the side and I thought it would have been a tad bit spicier but it was still good. They bring a basket of injera with the meal and we ended up needing a few extras (no charge). I like that they offer vegan options here. I have a friend who also shares a love for Ethiopian food so next time she's in town, Lucy could be an option. I would say they could improve on their service. Right after handing us menus, our server was ready for us to place our order and when we stated we needed just a few more minutes, she disappeared for like 20 minutes. This won't stop me from coming back here again, but the overall experience wasn't anything for me to brag about! read more

The food is ah-ma-zing, I love Ethiopian food and I am always looking forward to the Ethiopian restaurants . We ordered the veggie platter with tibs and it was superb. Our waiter took our drinks and food order on time (not a long wait) and the food arrived at a good time. She also took out family picture for us! She was friendly and was happy to serve us with a smile. The place had lots of people and everyone was enjoying themselves. The place is beautiful and seats were comfortable. I would absolutely come back! read more

My friend and I are on a quest to find the best Ethiopian food in the DMV. This place is going on the "Do Not Return" list. Service was terrible. We should have left when the hostess asked us where we want to sit and after we answered she went behind the bar as though we never said anything. I walked up after a few minutes and asked should we seat ourself and she said "Yea." The food was lackluster. The red lentils, usually my fave, has a weird bitter taste and the greens were bland. After we were served, the waitress disappeared and we had to flag her down. Waste of time and money. read more

Use to be my favorite sport however I went yesterday and for the second to time in a row they have sold me old molding injera and moldy vegetables for my vegan platter. I'm convinced nothing there is fresh. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegan plater - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Came here for lunch today and loved it! Took a long time for the food to be prepared but that's typical for Ethiopian restaurants in my experience. Three of Us ordered the four combination platter which was more than enough. Got the kitfo, doro wot, tibs, dulet and veggie sides of lentils and collard greens. They all tasted great. Got the meat cooked medium. Injera was good, and our servers were very nice. Definitely coming back soon! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Four combo platter- doro wot, dulet, tibs, kitfo with veggie sides of collard greens and lentils. - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Lucy's has great food and atmosphere. They have really friendly staff as well. I've been here twice for lunch and had really great meals. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I found myself at Lucy's in downtown Silver Spring, MD for an Ethiopian escapade that was so worth it, along with a friend who tagged along, to satisfy a pregnancy urge to have Ethiopian cuisine. I am very familiar with their Bethesda location (now closed), where the food was always great and my prayers were that the Silver Spring location was just as good. The décor was simple, chill and perfect to meet friends for a family style lunch/dinner with Ethiopian music blasting through the overhead speakers. For starters, Lucy's Sambusas are one of my favorites! Sambusas are thin dough shells stuffed with a blend of minced lentils or minced beef, green chili, herbs and lightly fried in vegetable oil. We requested 2 of the Minced Beef Sambusas though we thought they were a bit pricy at $3.50/piece however their size justified the cost. They were pretty large and completely filled with beef with juices dripping after each bite. The mild and hot dipping sauces were also amazing. I wanted to order 10 more to go but we were served the very last 2 beef sambusas. It was quite disappointing, especially since the restaurant had just opened at 12pm. The entrée I always go for is the Girgiro Beef, which is one of their specialty platters. The beef cubes are marinated with the Chef's special seasoning, cooked with spices, hot pepper, tomatoes and onions served on a sizzling oven. I also added two Vegan options to my order: Collard Greens and Shiro Wot (if I remember correctly). Corinne ordered the Yebeg Tibs, which are tender lamb cubes fried with spices, hot pepper, onions and berbere. Everything was outstanding, served hot, tasty and definitely hit the spot for the both of us. Both orders were served with Injera, which is made with teff flour and similar to a crepe with a spongy texture. It is also an Ethiopian and Eritrean staple. You bet I'll be visiting Lucy's again very soon! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - two plates of food on a table - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Had dinner there recently with friends on a Friday night and the place was filled with sewer flies. Asked the waiter to move table but was forced to swat flies as we ate. The food is decent, but they will have to deal with this issue or I will take my friends to other Ethiopian restaurants in Silver Spring. read more

Lucy's was our introduction to Ethiopian food. I dont have much experience to compare Lucy's to other restaurants, but our family really love Lucy's! We've been back multiple times (but not since the pandemic - we haven't gone out much, but hope to start venturing out again soon). Each time, we get a combo and we've never been disappointed. Can't wait to return! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I just want to know WHY are sambusas $3 for ONE!? I went here with my friends, who were visiting from Arizona. We were craving food and thought why not support habesha business. Well that was a bad idea cause when I ordered sambusas...it only came out with one. Do you know how ridiculous that is??? One sambusa for $3?!?!? I asked to speak to a manager and the waitress refused. Honestly The food is good...but I wouldn't return. read more

I liked the food here, but service needs improvement. Service wasn't awful, but very lackadaisical. I've had Ethiopian food before, but I can never remember the names of dishes or keep track of what's what. Our waitress wasn't super helpful with explaining the menu - while we didn't explicitly say, "Help! We're not that familiar with Ethiopian food, please explain!", I think it showed on our confused faces, and was evident when we asked numerous questions about menu items. Then once we decided on what to order, she followed up with questions on how we wanted it prepared: Waitress: Juicy or regular? Friend: What's the difference? Waitress: One's juicy, and one's regular. Friend: Juicy? We ordered the beef sambusa for an appetizer and then two platters: the "any three" combo (key wot, kitfo, and tibs) and vegan combo. We wanted to try both the lentil and the beef sambusas, but they were out of the lentil one. The beef sambusa was similar to a Jamaican beef patty. *Note to self: kitfo is raw beef.* (I don't mind, but some people do.) Of the proteins, my favorite was the lamb (tibs). Overall though, I preferred the vegan combo over the meat one; my favorites were the yellow split peas and collard greens. The servings are generous and the two platters had enough food for our party of four. I also love the injera (sourdough, crepe-like but spongier) and our waitress was kind enough to bring us another basket when our table ran out. I find Ethiopian food to be spicy, so the water went quick at our table. Refills were a hot commodity, and only seemed to be provided upon request. Waitresses weren't paying attention to customers and were busy chatting behind the counter. At one point, after trying to get their attention for awhile, I thought one of the waitresses was finally going to come over, but instead she was coming around to give a friend a hug. When we finally got their attention to request a refill and held up our drink cups to signal more water, the waitress came over with a pitcher and left it on the table for us to pour ourselves... I really don't think we were being high maintenance, but it would've been a nice gesture to pour it for us before setting it on the table. We were there around 8pm on a Saturday, which is considered a late dinner to me, but the place started filling up afterwards. Word on the street is they have live music at 10pm on weekends. Even though I liked the food, there are plenty of other Ethiopian restaurants in the area, so I think I'll try out those instead; service is a deterrent here. read more

I believe that they are under new management. The food quality has greatly deteriorated. I ordered the yatekilt wot and it looked as if was sitting for a few days. Such a shame, because Lucy's was ALWAYS fresh. I ordered Sambusas, and they gave them to me in a container that wouldn't close. When I grabbed hold of my bag, the sambuses fell out and onto the ground. They were reluctant to replace the items and said "I don't think you have time to wait." The insult of the passive-aggressive response and the lackluster food turned an Ethiopian-food lover irretrievably in any other direction but here. Furthermore, my experience turned what was once "I love Lucy," to "Go home roger." read more

Shared boiled egg from Doro Wat, which is a chicken stew with leg & hard boiled egg during lunch. Cut piece of leg & shared it as well. Leg was chewy & after cutting rest up, it was RAW. Lost appetite & left. They did take dish off (why pay for what you didn't have? it's minimum of what they should do). Fast forward later yesterday evening, body ache, stomach pain, diarrhea, & nausea. Oh, called to inform management. Response: "what would you like me to do?" Called MC Dept of Health. Then called Lucy back. Owner said "don't call me again. Call police next time." WOW. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Uncooked Dorë Wat Chicken Leg - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Wow- this place was hopping! On a street with easily a half dozen other Ethiopian restaurants, this was the only one that was so busy on a Thursday night. Sure, it was the New Year celebration, but then all other Ethiopian restaurants should have been so busy! The fact that they weren't so busy just confirms that this place lives up to the reviews! The reason for deducting a star was because I had asked for the Ethiopian injera, all teff, but the bottom layer was still the regular injera. The Ethiopian injera costs $3, so the extra cost had been paid but not the full benefit given. Anyhow, the green lentils were the best green lentils I have had in recent memory at an Ethiopian restaurant!!! The collards were the spiciest preparation I had ever had, and they were delicious! The spicing for the red lentils was good. The tikil gomen was the crispest ever, and I liked that preparation. The tomato salad was fresh, and the yellow split peas had good flavor without too much salt. The potatoes with carrots and green beans were interesting because the potatoes were fried first. All in all, the service was super friendly and the food was satisfying. I loved the Ethiopian injera, gluten free, and the dairy free veg sampler! Awesome! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Wicked busy- good times! - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Came here with a few friends and ordered the veggie combo and tibs. Service was fast and food was delicious. The coffee was great too and the ambience inside the store is quite pretty. Check them out! read more

I've walked past this spot a million times and, for some reason, I've never tried it. A coworker suggested Lucy based on a recommendation she received, so we decided to come here for a lunch date. We arrived around noon, so it was still pretty empty, but it filled up as the lunch hour progressed. Both my coworker and I ordered the vegetarian lunch platter and it was amazing! So flavorful, so filling, and so on point. There was even a gluten-free injera option for my coworker who cannot consume gluten. My favorite were the lentils and potato dish...I wish I remembered the names of the dishes, but uh, yeah. When I come back (and, I am coming back), I think I will definitely try one of the lamb dishes. p.s. Based on my one experience, I would not expect a high-quality serving experience. But, it is still worth it and they were very helpful in helping to select a dish. read more

Came here for a late night meal with friends. It was a Saturday so there was karaoke which was fun. Everyone inside was friendly and having a great time. The food was delicious. Full honesty this was the last stop of the evening so I don't remember everything I ate lol. But it was all delicious! The one thing I do remember were the lamb tibs, which I will go back for again! read more

WARNING!! Lucy has new owners and they are TERRIBLE! Customer service is below standard and so is the food. We knew from the moment they answered the phone that this restaurant had to be under new owners because of how unprofessional the girls were. They must be relatives of the new owners and they didn't care to properly train them. Let's get to the point. We ordered kitfo leb leb and Beef Tibs with a specific side. They gave us raw kitfo and LAMB tibs with the WRONG side. We drove 25 minutes away only to come home and find out they messed up our order. I called right away to let them know but their phone kept giving a busy signal. called the next day and was told manager isn't there but would call me. I NEVER got a call back. the worst part is this was their second time messing up. I'm DONE! No more Lucy. I miss the old owners- they were humble folks who served QUALITY food and understood what customer service meant. read more

I've been coming here for a couple years and honestly the food is good. I like the friendly waitresses although the service can be a bit slow at times. The 2 stars were due to their disgusting bathroom with so many flies/gnats in and around the bathroom. There is never adequate soap to wash your hands with at a restaurant where you mainly eat with your hands. BATHROOM IS DISGUSTING!!! Will Not coming back here ever again. read more

Delicious food, engaging & attending wait staff, clean & inviting atmosphere, live music on Thursday nights.

Not the best. Could get better food elsewhere. Service was weak. Food was sour. Needs improvement.

The service was awesome especially the food was very good I enjoyed sitting down at the bar the bartenders for a very friendly I sat there drinking six beers everybody was so polite I recommend coming back and eating her again to my family my friends read more

I had the yebeg kikil (simmered lamb cuts in a slightly spicy green sauce with injera) and my parents ordered the three combo (lentils, some vegetables, ground beef, shredded beef, and cuts of beef). Everything was delicious (ground beef was the spiciest) but the combo came with an alarming amount of injera . We ended up not being able to finish the entire combo meal. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Yebeg Kilil (simmered lamb in green *slightly spicy* sauce with green peppers and injera) - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I've only been to this establishment 3 times. My first 2 experiences were wonderful. The 1st experience the waitress recommended a dish which I enjoyed and the 2nd I had their deep fried tilapia which was pretty bad. My 3rd experience however was disappointing especially since I usually stop in after a long day at work. Stopped in & ordered the b. shiro and sambusa. The order came out & it was jst shiro which is basically their chickpeas warmed up in a hot pot and Enjera. I waved the waitress down and explained my order was incorrect and was missing the beef and spice to the chickpeas ( I'm dealing w/ a cold so I really needed the kick from the spices). She mentioned she can add beef but it'll jst be 4 sm. pieces lol and when it returned it literally was lol 4 sm. flavorless pieces that were barely visible. Appeared to me they jst found some beef in the back, threw it in a pan, dropped it in the flavorless chickpeas and brought it out. I've never written a review b/f but needed to b/c it's important for them to be aware and course correct. Yes, my 24.36 & 10% may not seem like a big deal to them but for someone who is jst getting back into the workforce again it is. Plus based on this experience I'll jst take my business elsewhere going forward and try the many other Ethiopian restaurants that's in silver springs and the surrounding area. read more