We saw a few Ethiopian restaurants in DC and took a shot on Shewa. It's quite a ways from downtown and when we arrived, it definitely seemed like a rougher part of town. We arrived at 10:10 and the doors were locked. Called the restaurant and an employee said that they'd be open in a few minutes. A few minutes later, a man and an older woman said hi to us and went into a side door. Turns out that was the owner and his mom (the chef). They light incense in the restaurant and the odor is quite strong. I remember on Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon Ramsey yelling at someone for having scented candles because it messes with how the food tastes. Luckily, the food had enough flavor to overcome the incense. We ordered two meat combos and asked for them to give us some variety since I had never tried Ethiopian food before. The dishes came out with 16 items, with only one repeat. I can't really tell you what I ate since there were so many items, but I did really like the chicken and lamb. Very flavorful and just a fun experience from eating with our hands and the variety of options. One combo can easily feed two people. For our two adults and two kids, we had enough for leftovers. Honey wine was not my favorite thing, but the rest of the dining experience was very memorable. We were the only customers, so the owner came out and chatted with us for a while. Very friendly. read more

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The owner was super friendly. We ordered two deluxe meat combos and a glass of their homemade honey wine. He gave us sambosas on the house. I loved the spicy meat dishes the most. I had no idea what I was eating but it was all so fun and yummy. The meat stews with jalapeños in them were my favorites. My husband liked the chicken dishes the most. My kids really enjoyed the sambosas and the non spicy dishes. The honey wine was refreshing and interesting, not too sweet and only a hint of honey taste. Overall it was such a fun experience for our family of 4. We ended up with a lot of leftovers. read more

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My friends who live nearby rave about this place. Maintaining a top rating on Yelp and Google, I had to go. A friend and I showed up around 1:30pm on a Friday for lunch. The owner greeted us and quickly took our orders. The Deluxe Meat Combo generously fed two men. Every dish on the injera was tasty, but our favorites were the Shewa Doro Tibs, Shewa Alicha Wot, Shewa Doro Wot, and Shewa Bozena Shiro. The portions are generous that we had to ask for more injera. The space is no-frills, but comes with a few small tables. Street parking is nearby. read more

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I've always loved Ethiopian food, and thought I had found some great Ethiopian food in DC before, but this was simply next level. My new benchmark for freshness, craftsmanship and kind service. Worth the trip. read more

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I'm not usually into Ethiopian food as much as others but I saw the reviews and had to check it out. Tldr it was worth the visit. We got the veggie sampler which is already big points in my book. Sampler platters are such a great way to try a bit of everything and I wish more restraunts did it. We came in hungry and we couldn't finish the entire dish even with everything being pretty good. Each option was unique enough that they didn't blend together too much. The bread they give you felt fresh and tangy. The parts that were under the meals got soggy but that's the nature of the dish. I found myself wanting the vegetables to be a little less cooked and pickeled but that's probably not the way they do it in etheopia so I can't complain to much. Each was cooked well with a good amount of spices and the act of eating anything with bread makes it instantly better. They also started us out with a free starter of samosas with a slightly spicy and tangy sauce that paired well with it. Honestly it was my favorite part of the meal. The samosas we very fresh and had a great crispy bite. The lentals paired well with the sauce too. The service was super friendly and quick as well with her checking on us whenever we needed and giving great recommendations. The atmosphere was nothing special but also didn't take away from it either. The only other small thing was that when we asked for water, they only had bottles, which is a let down. Overall a good Ethiopian restraunt and if you like Ethiopian it is a great option. read more

Shewa - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is the best Ethiopian food I have had in DC and a great value. We ordered the deluxe meat combo and everything was perfectly seasoned (plus we had plenty of leftovers!) The service was incredible too--we got sambusas on the house, and my glass of wine was literally filled to the brim! I will definitely be coming back. read more

Shewa - 27. Shewa Deluxe Meet Comb - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was such an excellent experience!! I am only somewhat familiar with Ethiopian food. Enough to know what some things are called and have eaten it in several occasions. But I have to say that this food was excellent!! We arrived in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday, there were only two in our party. They treated us like royalty. The server was amazing and checked on us *just enough* - she saw to everything we needed. It is a family business and the daughter is the server, and the dad was doing the cooking. He also came out several times to check on us. They were both so kind and sweet and sincerely interested in making sure we were happy. We had the veggie combo, and I got kitfo in addition, because I love kitfo. He even brought out a small dish to make sure it was exactly the way I expected it to be before he finished preparing the whole serving. Extra injera on request (we ate almost every last bite!) and they did a whole coffee ceremony just for us. Epic! So totally worth seeking this place out!! I'll be back!! read more

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I always love trying different Ethiopian places in DC and I recently heard about this location which had great reviews, but I was surprised to see it completely empty when I arrived. We were quickly greeted by the chef and a cat! We ordered the veggie platter and the beef tibs and got complimentary samosas which were very delicious. The veggie sides were really delicious and came with plenty of injera. The beef ribs were slightly overcooked and chewy, but still quite flavorful. Very friendly owners and staff! read more

Shewa - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food is so good and fresh! Parking is a little tricky since it's a busy residential area. Fave Ethiopian restaurant in DC. Thanks Ephrem! read more

My friend who lives in NY highly recommended this place and comes here every time she is in DC, so I had to try it. Not only is this the best ethiopian food I've ever had, but the owner is an amazing host. So warm and friendly! He remembered my friend even though she hadn't been here in a few months. We got the veggie combo and the mushroom tibs and I cannot recommend them enough. Spicy and tangy, and perfect for a chilly day. And more than enough food for two. I also recommend getting the ethiopian coffee, it comes in a beautiful pot with burning incense. It's a lovely way to round out the meal. read more

Shewa - Ethiopian coffee - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place is awesome. Wonderful food and better people. It is a relaxing place to hang out. The owners treat you like family in their home. It is well worth checking out. I have tried a little bit of everything they have and enjoyed every bit of it. Try it all and tip them well. They deserve it. read more

Always a positive experience! Recommended for a great Ethiopian food event. Food is good and staff is super friendly.

Visiting DC, wanted to try something different and decided on Ethiopian food, having never tried it before. Had a terrific experience. The owner and staff were warm and inviting, made excellent suggestions for first timers. We had the deluxe platter (4 meat, 4 veggies). Easily fed 3 of our party. The adventurous one in our group got a fish platter, which was pretty spicy. We all ate our fill, then split a baklava and tiramisu. Overall a great meal. read more

Wonderful neighborhood spot with great food and a friendly owner. Quiet, chill ambience with friendly service.

I found this restaurant via Google and decided to try them out because they had 5 stars. Well, I'm glad I did because the service and the food were 5-stars. It's a quaint spot and quiet, but the food speaks loudly and boldly. I ordered the lamb tibs with cabbage and yellow lentils, and a side of tomato salad and was not disappointed. The food was seasoned very well. I am now a new customer and highly recommend others visiting. read more

Shewa - Lamb tibs, cabbage, yellow lentils - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The best Ethiopian food in DC! So I was gonna try Ethiopic down the street, but this place came up as well. I feel like they have more affordable pricing and better selections and it's worth what you pay for and not to mention. The food is well seasoned. The customer service is A +. Hands-down this is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant so far in DC. You gotta try it! read more

I had the Shewa Derek Tibs, and it was a pickup order through ubereats. I'm not gonna lie the food was really fresh and the sides that came with it also very fresh with an amazing flavor! The customer service was amazing too, they were very friendly! Everything was a 10/10 for me! Thank you shewa! read more

"The flavors here are incredible. Can't wait to come back!" The staff was friendly and attentive, making our experience even better. read more

Small hole in the wall and when we came it wasn't obvious that they were even open for business. But we were delighted that they were, because the food coming out of the kitchen is some of the best Ethiopian food I've ever had, and I've been to Ethiopia! This place is proof that some of the best food comes in the most humble surroundings. The people running it are incredibly kind as well. Come eat here! Do yourself a favor. read more

Great food and lovely people, feels like your with family when they serve you. Clean and ample seating. Quality food at a wonderful price.

Absolutely amazing. Food was phenomenal, service was outstanding, even gave us samosas on the house!! would definitely come back!!

My son & I were passing through DC & stopped to get Ethiopian food (as we do every time we are in the area). We picked up takeout from Shewa. The place is more of a takeout restaurant than dine in (just a couple of tables). The food, however, was probably the best Ethiopian food I've had. We were given the lentil Sambusa while we waited. Really fantastic. We ordered one vegetarian sampler & the smaller meat sampler. Everything was really flavorful & delicious. Will definitely go back next time we're in the neighborhood. Wish I lived closer! read more

Great and tasty food at great value! Very nice service, big portions good for sharing read more

Shewa - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Food was excellent and service was great. I would come back here again. Nice clean and quite place to eat.

Best Ethiopian food I've ever had! It was my first time trying and I would definitely come back again!

I will definitely be back to shewa customer service was amazing prices can't be beat complimentary veggie sambusa !!! The food was amazing and great portions nice sized clean and comfortable dining area !me and my Freind would definitely recommend this amazing family owned small business please come and support !!!! read more

Great food. Quick and friendly service. Better for takeout as the location is sketchy. read more

Shewa - Mini veggie tray. - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was amazing, and the service was excellent, I ordered the veggie platter which was a huge portion and everything was full of flavor. Some of the best Ethiopian food I've had in a long time. Highly recommend read more

My first Ethiopian experience ever and the gentleman provided the best service and experience one could ask for. Everyone here was beyond friendly and the food was amazing and beyond this world. Will definitely be back when back sometime in DC, this is a must go if you love perfectly spiced food. Thank you for a wonderful first experience! read more

Shewa - Meat and Veggie combo - yum! - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Really great food! I don't know how we missed this spot because it's so close to our house, but I'm glad we finally discovered it. I got the Tibs Awaze, and my partner got the Derek Tibs. They came with two veggies as well - some spicy lentils and potatoes and carrots. The owner also threw in two lentil sambusas for us to try. Plenty of food for at least two meals, and I really enjoyed my leftovers the next day, too. read more

Shewa - a plate of food - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I ordered the four different meat platter ... it was delicious. It wasn't super spicy and a really nice mixture of meats and veggies. The hostess and wait staff were very attentive. In fact, the hostess had them make this special platter because it was my first time eating Ethiopian food. Because it was our first time, they gave us a free appetizer and offered us a dessert .. we turned it down because we were so full. I'd go back in a heartbeat... I really enjoyed it. read more

The service here is unbelievable! It's like visiting home and your mom wants to fatten you up. And the food is crazy good! You would've thought it was my last meal before going to the chair! Lord of great vegan options which is rare. Five stars for this place read more

Shewa - Menu - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Delicious food for a great price. Wonderful service, the host was so welcoming, made us feel like guests in his home instead of a business. Offered us to try the traditional appetizers and Ethiopian wines. Tried the coffee ceremony - it's a culture class with strong, freshly roasted coffee. read more

Shewa - Coffee ceremony - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My family and I just ate their delicious food and appreciated their great service too. We recommend.

By far the best FOOD experience I've ever had in DC. We are traveling from Arizona to New York and decided to stop by DC to try some foods and visit monuments. Decided to try Ethiopian food in the area and came across Shewa. We showed up on New Year's and as they were just about done closing and locked up, we arrived and they opened up just for us! (No hesitation!) Their service obviously from that alone is amazing and they were so helpful with what they'd recommend for us to eat. They had nice music going on and made everything with such care and love, they even made sure to accommodate for our dietary restrictions. Would highly recommend the beef stews, samosas, and for sure their honey wine. In all, had such a wonderful experience and would highly recommend anyone wanting to try Ethiopian to come here for service and taste. read more

Got the meat sampler for takeout and it was great. All the dishes were very flavorful and the portion size was good. Will definitely order from them again. read more

Great service and good food. Food came out fast and the dining area was clean and had a calming atmosphere. In all very nice place. read more

Shewa - a plate of food - Food Delivery Services Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great food and great service by great people! I've had the meat combo and the deluxe meat combo, everything on the plate was delicious.

What can I say about Shewa except it is a hidden gem. We've ordered take out a few times and it was really good so we decided to stop by and dine in. From the outside it doesn't look like much and soon as you open the door your transported to Little Ethiopia. The awaze tibs were on point, service was great and this place was affordable. I would definitely recommend. read more

Delicious!!! and very kind + helpful owner! 5 stars :) definitely recommend getting one of the platters and going innnnn.