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

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.

Decided to order take-out from this place after my ethiopian friend made me kitfo. We've ordered…read moreout a few times now & have this place on daily rotation now! So far, we've tried -Awaze tibs: beef cubes sautéed with some veggies, spices. Very spicy! Beef was tender & was drowning in oily sauce. Too oily in my opinion but we loved the spice & flavor. -Geba Weta: tender meat sautéed with veggies, herbed butter, spices. My personal fave! Not spicy. The beef is beyond tender & the sautéed onions & jalapeños add great flavor & slight sweetness. -Kitfo: raw ground beef mixed with butter & spices. Ethiopian tartare if you will :) Also very spicy! We order this every time & absolutely love it. Don't forget to order extra injera for the leftovers. The portions are SUPER generous & good for 2-3 meals for hubby & I (& we both have hefty appetites!). Excited to try their other dishes & dine in!

Great service, servers are sincere and the energy vibe in here felt great. I wanted to really have…read morethis place be my new go-to because it's close by, and their veg-meat combo dish is an amazing deal. It is an amazing deal, but it fell a little short on the meat dishes. The lamb and beef meat were pretty tough and hard to eat. The veg dishes were pretty good, but unfortunately, this won't be my go-to spot for now.

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.

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!

This spot was recommended by a friend and I vaguely remember…read morevisiting before but it has been some time. We arrived on a Tuesday around 12:30 and quiet. A good size dining area as well Bar and saw an area for Live Entertainment. Modern decor with some interesting artwork. We were fasting so were limited to fish and veggies for lunch. We started with Timatim Firfir. Just the presentation of this appetizer was enough but the combo of the tomatoes, onions, Awaze wrapped in injera was delicious. We also ordered veggie (Lentil) Sambusa which was just right crispy and hit the spot. For main, we ordered the Veggie combo-our favorites were the Misir Wots and Beet Salad. We saw the Tuna Kitfo on the menu and ordered as we had never tried this one. Exquisite dish and a must try. As a lover of the Beef Kitfo, this is a formidable alternative. We finished with Macchiato which was bold and reminded me of the ones I had in Addis. Service was friendly and attentive. They picked up quite a bit by the time we left around 2:30. Will be back to enjoy the rest of the menu. Don't miss the Tuna Kitfo/Timatim Firfir.

Trash. Restaurant is warm and muggy inside. Music in the middle of the day was extraordinary loud…read moreand basic service like water refills in an empty restaurant was impossible to get. The food was awful too. A real difficult thing to do with Ethiopian food. Meat in my sandwich was cold and the bread was stale and overly soaked in butter. The doro wat was also super overpriced for what you got, one drumstick, the cheapest part of a chicken and they were stingy with that for a $23 dish? Unbelievable. Avoid, there's tons of great spots within a 2 min walk of this place.

- Service, amazing - Food, fabulous…read more - Atmosphere, casual and modern with a hint of tradition

Went here twice at this point and both times were amazing. The customer service here is the best,…read moreour waitress was so genuine and kind. Almost feels like you're eating at someone's house (in a good way!). We usually get the vegetarian platter with the 8 sides. It's so good and more than enough food for 3 people. Every single one of those sides are so so tasty. I also get a side of mithmita and green sauce which to me are a must! Another plus is that this place is very affordable. Get the Ethiopian coffee too--I'm not one to like black coffee but it's actually not bitter and just very flavorful. We really enjoyed that!

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.

Super tasty food, fast service, friendly staff, very reasonable pricing…read more This has become a regular for my wife and myself. We eat here at least three times a month. We prefer to go on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when the crowds are thinner. But don't hesitate for a Friday or Saturday night if we feel like eating their great food. The fare and service is always top notch whether it's hopping or sparse. We almost always get the vegan deluxe. If we feel like some meat, we add another dish and they are all good. I also enjoy their Ethiopian beer, Habesha Cold Gold. It is light, crisp, and refreshing with a clean finish. It has a mild malt sweetness up front, very light bitterness, just enough to balance and is smooth and clean with no heavy aftertaste The Vegan Deluxe is a combination plate that includes everything from a wonderful salad with fresh jalapeños and tomatoes to a wonderful assortment of lentils spiced in different way, also cabbage & carrots, and greens. I always feel good after our meals because the food is so fresh and beautifully done. Our pocketbook is grateful, too. My wife and I can leave with a bill of about $30 including food, a beer and tip. Not many places in Bethesda you can do that. The staff always smile and are helpful whether providing standard service or troubleshooting a challenge. The ambience is not upscale, but it's clean, beautiful, and filled with good people, whether it's the customers who are always having a good time, or the manager, who makes the rounds to ensure everything is going well.

If I could give 10 stars I would. My boyfriend and I took a quick birthday trip to DC from NYC…read more This was a last minute dinner plan after we weren't sure how the rest of the day would look post bottomless brunch. WOWOWOWOW. small space so it gets packed quick. We didn't wait longer than 10 minutes to be seated. Our servers were so delightful and happy. My most pleasant surprise here has been the service !! They gave us great recommendations and even gave us a taste of all four honey wines they had to offer. We went with the house. YOU SHOULD GET THE HOUSE HONEY WINE !!!!!!! Everything we had was absolutely amazing. My vegan bestie got her veggie platter and my boyfriend and I split the beef tibs and were so so full and satisfied. We have been waiting for the opportunity to go back. This was our last restaurant stop during that trip, and it will be the first stop for our next. They play no games here !!!! Serious food, serious flavor, serious service!!!!!! We highly recommend!!!!!

I ate at the restaurant located at 14804 Build America Dr. at 3 pm on 8-16-2025. On Yelp, Gomen…read moreBesega-collard greens cooked with lamb, onion, garlic, and jalapenos is shown at $17. I ordered the same dish with beef instead of lamb. The waitress told me that the dish comes with two vegetables and the cost is $20 instead of $17 even though I just wanted the collard greens. Service was awful!! I had to wait 30 minutes after I finished my meal to get the waitress' attention in my bill. She never even asked me if I'd liked the dish. To add insult, I asked for a small coffee to go when I got home the coffee cup was only 3/4 full with coffee! I'll never go back to this restaurant!!!!

I was getting a pizza for my kids and it wasn't ready so I stopped in here and ordered the beef…read morewith collard greens and injera. The food was delicious. The beef was well seasoned and a bit spicy but really good. I loved the collard greens. It's a takeout spot. The customer service was good. No complaints. Sorry no pics.