I had a favorite Ethiopian place. Instead, my daughter brought me to Chercher. Great choice!…read more Meant to be shared and even better to be with those we love. Our reservation. Thank goodness we had one! Getting ahead of myself and staying there.... Lamb Tibs were a clear victory over an already winning day. Wash your hands (crossing your fingers is optional) & roll up your sleeves, Chercher is divine messy greatness!

I stopped by on a Sunday night. I ordered two sambusas (lentil) ($3 each). I was surprised by the…read morespice but it was good! I ordered beef tibs ($21.99) with a side of beets ($3). The meat was tender and the beets were sweet. I thought they complemented each other very well. I believe the injera was pure teff. It was so good. I started eating it by itself. The service was ok. The waitress was nice. They have TVs which played Sunday night football so I stayed to catch a bit. They have a full bar so it's a nice lowkey spot to catch a game and get full meal if bar food isn't really your thing.

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 here a few weekends ago with my boyfriend. I've eaten Ethiopian food a handful of times, but…read morewanted him to try since he's never eaten it before. Since they had high reviews, and weren't too far from me, I figured this would be a good place to try. We had perused the menu online before coming inside so knew what we wanted to eat. I ordered the veggie sampler with red lentils, tomato salad, yellow split peas, and collard greens and a side of goat stew while my boyfriend ordered the mushroom tibs (unfortunately there are no pics due to us being too hungry to snap a photo :-( ...The veggie sampler came with a side of injera. The injera came out way before the actual platter. Since I was very hungry, I actually nibbled on that, and wished everything came out at once. The veggies were pretty tasty, but for some reason, I wasn't excited about my overall meal. The goat stew was pretty good too. What I really enjoyed was my boyfriend's dish of mushroom tibs. It was nicely sautéed and well seasoned. I'd probably order that if I ever went back. The interior was very colorful and earthy. The owner, I think, was also very hospitable.

Excellent Ethiopian spot! All the staff are super kind, and all the tibs have such good flavor…read more There is lots of seating inside, and there is a warm atmosphere you can feel as soon add you walk in. We got theMeat Lover Sampler for 3 people, and we left so satisfied and stuffed! I can't choose a favorite, everything was so delicious. Definitely worth the money, you have to stop here!

Stopped by for dinner while in the area. On a Saturday night, we were able to grab a table for two…read moreas a walk-in. We shared the Eatopia Special Tibs and Asa Gulashi. Both were good and had a lot of flavor, just wished they had more spice. We asked for a side of the spicy sauce and seasoning and this definitely turnt up both dishes! I also enjoyed the Le Anchi special cocktail, which was perfect for the cooler weather that day. Service was great. Street parking available

the food here is amazing, top of the best flavors I've had and the drinks are also good and unique…read more service was prompt and food came out very quick, and tasted warm and fresh. the restaurant has a calm ambiance and it was quiet. my waitress took her time to share with me the culture, amazing experience.

I recently went back to Keren for the first time for a weeknight dinner since the fire there a…read morecouple years ago and was pleased to find that the experience, the affordable prices, and food were as good as I remembered. I got the chicken tibs and ended up also getting the veggie combo, both of which were perfectly prepared, extremely flavorful, and a fantastic portion size. I look forward to my next visit! From October 2022: I have been to Keren several times for dine-in and takeout and the food is always outstanding. I ordered ful with a side-order of injera to-go, and the ful was creamy and appropriately salted. Keren's use of tomatoes, jalapenos, and herbs complemented the dish and the accompanying baguettes well and provided freshness. I have ordered the veggie combo and meat dishes on several previous visits and always enjoyed them. Because Keren's food is so good and the physical space is small, Keren is always crowded and you should prepare to wait 15-20 minutes for a table and 20-30 minute waits for your food once you order. Nonetheless, the wait is worth it. I order from Keren regularly and look forward to my next visit!

A friend and I made Keren Restaurant our first stop when we arrived in DC this weekend. I was…read morereally hungry and thrilled to finally be checking out this Eritrean restaurant that has been open in DC since 1987. 1987, y'all. That's almost 40 years, and that says a lot. The restaurant is casual and comfortable, with big front windows that keep the small but long restaurant light and bright. And the service was friendly throughout. But the food is why we were there. We each started with a cappuccino, which was great after our drive and with our brunch meal. And then - shockingly - we both ordered the same thing: Ful with eggs. Ful is a dish popular across parts of the Middle East and North Africa made from stewed fava beans. It's often eaten for breakfast. When I had Ful for the first time many years ago, I fell in love. And whenever I see it on a menu, I'm done with research and options - that's it, that's where I'm going, that's what I'm ordering. Keren's Ful is topped with fresh tomatoes, raw onion, raw jalapeno, creamy yogurt, and olive oil, and then you can choose to top the dish with eggs, tuna, or sardines, or served alongside a salad. The beans (made with Berbere spice) are the obvious star of the dish, and Keren's version of one of my favorite breakfasts was delicious, warm, comforting, filling... I loved it. It's a big bowl (and served with some great French rolls), so we weren't able to finish every last bite, which made me a little sad, because it was delicious. They have a full menu for breakfast (which they serve all day, every day) and then a full menu of other items (including combo platters). I loved my Ful, and I'd go back for that alone. But I'd also love to return to try more of their menu. Maybe with more than one friend next time so we can share and enjoy more of their Eritrean food and hospitality.

Best Ethiopian food I've ever had! They claim to be the…read morebest in DC, I say they're the best in the country!!!! Very affordable and great customer service. Best meal I had while in town and will definitely eat here again when I visit again.

Ambiance is incredible here, so cute and cozy, especially in the winter. Service was very good, we…read moregot our recommendations from the server and she was great. Food was amazing. I haven't ever had ethiopian, but this place felt authentic. Quality of food was good and drinks were amazing. We had the honey wine and a gin based drink with elderflower.

This is a great spot. It was a bit hard to find since signage isn't super clear, but it's pretty…read moretiny and located on the corner. I ordered the vegetarian platter and felt it was a good deal and amount of food. I ordered a boiled egg as well as a side of ayib. The ayib was great and the egg was delivered about halfway through my meal which was odd--I actually forgot I ordered it. If it can't be delivered with the meal, it probably shouldn't be offered. At the point I received it I was near done eating. The food tasted good and had a good price point. They also offers Ethiopian beer which was great. This was a good spot, definitely a hole in the wall so I do suggest making a reservation.

Honestly, I thought it would be a lot better with so much hype. Everything was a bit off…read more The service was OK. Our waitress didn't check in at all. When you go in, you have to have the mind set that it is a small business restaurant. I think it's because when I hear James Beard, that service is a part of it. They didn't know what beers they had or wine. I had to think what beers would be here based on me being at a Guyanese event! lol. The food was OK! It wasn't mind blowingly good. There is another Ethiopian spot in SS that was so nice and extremely good food so I thought this would be 10x that. This is small, but there was no music and it was sooooo bright in there. I feel like all of that sets the mood for the experience. The positive is that it is still extremely reasonable. We walked out of there with a $60 bill, which was two beers, beef and veggie platter and a side of rice and chicken drum. Also, you are still supporting small business when you go and not some chain.

AMBIANCE: Don't look for nothing fancy because you ain't…read moregonna get it. My bf and I had been CRAAAAVVVVIIING Ethiopian food for a minute. And it's his favorite food! So, he's been wanting to take me to the place him and his dad have always gone to, so know they've been coming here for years-- his dad is a dc local so... stamp of a approval 100%! It looks small when you walk in but there more seating the deeper in you go. SERVICE: Know what you want to order and get it done. You order at the cash register and then we wait for the food. FOOD: Flavorful, filling, the samosas were FRESH. Really, you could tell everything tasted very fresh. We also went in the morning if that means anything to you. Spicy but that's just me, I can't do spicy haha. Nonetheless, we coming back soon!

We came here for a late dinner. Habesha Market & Carry-out is metro accessible from both the U…read moreStreet and Shaw-Howard stops. Habesha Market is a cross between a fast casual and cafeteria-style place. The sides are already on display, ready for scooping. You order at the register and they'll give you a buzzer to ring you when your food is ready. There are a few tables in the front to seat yourself and additional seating in the back. There was a steady amount of customers coming and going around 9pm on a Tuesday evening (always a good sign). My go-to order at an Ethiopian restaurant is the veggie combo. I came here with a friend, so we decided to share a veggie combo and meat dish. We went with the #18 Regular veggie combo (4 items; $12.75) and #50 Habesha Tibs (lamb, medium well; $17.25). The dishes were reasonably priced - we got both for $30 total (before tip and tax) - which is really reasonably priced! There are definitely pricier Ethiopian options in DC. I like how we were able to change out the sides for our order. The veggie combo typically comes with spicy lentils, yellow peas, collard greens, and the house salad. We were able to swap out the house salad for the shiro (orange chickpea stew). The lamb entree also came with the house salad and we swapped it out for the mild lentils. When placing the order, the cashier was mindful to ask if wanted to share the two entrees on the same platter or have them served separately (we were fine sharing, so we got it all on the same tray). The cashier was also helpful with answering any questions that we had about the menu. Our food was ready in about 10 minutes. We picked it up at the counter (after our order buzzer went off), and it was a platter of our veggie and lamb entrees with a side of giant injera. The injera was thicker than I'm used to, but still had the traditional texture and flavor. From the sides, I liked the spicy lentils, mild lentils, and collard greens the best - in that order. I found the flavor of the sides overall to be lacking - I know some Ethiopian food can be spicy, so I'm not looking to set my mouth on fire, but I do like Ethiopian food with more punch in terms of spices. The lamb was good but it didn't blow me away. I've had better lamb dishes at other Ethiopian spots. I think the food is more of a 3.5, but I'll round up for the value.

This was an unexpected but amazing find. After my original dinner plans with my girlfriend…read moreunexpectedly shifted I decided to refer to a recent list that was shared with me, and this spot came up. It wasn't too long since I had last had ethiopian, but I only have it a few times a year. So I was pretty excited. Once we got there, there was only one of the party inside, and it had the usual delightful decor. We got to choose where we wanted to sit and we browse the menu. We were curious about whether the honey wine was on the sweeter or dryer side, and the lady taking care of us was kind enough to let us taste it before committing. We decided to share a bottle, and we decided to do a deluxe platter as well. That included six veggies and one protein of our choice. We decided on the lamb tibs. Everything came out, and it was all fantastic. I can count the times that I have had Ethiopian lamb, and this definitely did not disappoint. I missed having beats, but I did really love the lentils. Honestly, I'm surprised I hadn't heard of this spot before. The food was fantastic and I'm looking forward to returning sometime.

Your standard Ethiopian restaurant that offers classic fare at reasonable prices. When in DC, I…read morealways try to get Ethiopian, and it always seems to come from a place where I have to take stairs down (NYC included) oddly enough. I went with the Abuare lamb tips, which were a bit spicy with the jalapeno, but packed full of flavour. It came as a set meal, but only with daal, which I was sad about at first but it was more than enough food to fill me up. The injera was plentiful and the lamb was tender and perfectly seasoned. Service was uncharacteristically good, but that might just be because it was off hours, but regardless, I was appreciative.

This was our best meal in DC, by far. The eclectic Ethiopian breakfast menu was wild (and maybe a…read morebit overwhelming), but amazing. The injera and egg dishes were unreal, but it was clear you could not go wrong here. The seating felt like someone's home, with various couches and coffee tables filling the restaurant. The coffee was one of the standout things they served; I'm not sure what they're doing with the coffee, but it was one of the better quality coffees I think I've ever had. Huge fan of this place, and would definitely return!!

I stopped by this Ethiopian spot just outside DC and was blown away by how flavorful everything…read morewas. The injera was some of the softest bread I've had perfect for scooping up all the different dishes. Every item we tried was packed with flavor, and there were plenty of both vegetarian and meat options to choose from. Inside it's a bit on the cramped side, especially if you're coming with a larger group, but there is additional seating toward the left side once you get inside which helps. The woman working there was an absolute sweetheart and helped me a ton when I felt a little overwhelmed by all the menu options. She was patient, kind, and gave great recommendations. Overall, really delicious food and a welcoming experience. I would definitely return.