Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant

I know how the Ethiopian food taste, but this place serving a Little different, They have hiding charging different what showing on the menu, and for the service is 3 stars.

Free live music on Mondays in the back bar is awesome! Very intimate and volume is perfect. The band is so joyful. The food is tasty and portions are huuuge. The lamb and rice are especially good.

I pulled up in front the restaurant and gave my mom a quick call from the car, and they turned music on outside that was SO loud, I couldn’t hear my mom on phone with the windows rolled up and the doors closed. It was just after 5pm on Sunday. I felt like that was inappropriately loud.

Great food, great service love the hookah and the band that plays reggae in the summer. I would recommend this place to anyone I’ve been going there for years! Keep up the great service!

It may matter here what you order on the menu.
Absyssinia is filled with Ethiopians.
That would usually be a good sign — but there was one catch.
The Ethiopians were DRINKING but they were not EATING.
For the Ethiopians, red wine and beer were the beverages of choice with Diet Pepsi being a third choice.
(i.e. They were not drinking Ethiopian beverages and there would be no reason for the house to make the Ethiopian beverages good.)
The place does serve food but it was generally being served to Americans.
(i.e. Ethiopian food is not what keeps their customers happy.)
The standard American Ethiopian food served on enjera was ho hum.
Two good bean dishes that had some fire to them and some interest.
There were two other dishes that were made of different colored lentils and were totally bland. Bland lentils are almost never of interest.
There was boring cabbage and carrots.
There were beets that could have been out of the can.
There was good enjera — but every place has good enjera.
The Tej (Ethiopian honey wine) showed me why the Ethiopians were drinking red wine and beer instead.
The Tej was made with some kind of Chardonnay which made it cloying and unpleasant.
I forced mine down.
Why not give them one or two stars?
All those Ethiopians in the place were there for a reason — and I don’t think the reason was the «same old same old» Ethiopian food we were ordering.
I suspect there is a way to get the kitchen to give you something special — either by ordering the weird looking non-​standard dishes or finding a way for the kitchen to get you something that is really hot.
The menu has lots of items that were not the stereotypical spicy food served on enjera.
Kifte sandwich. Spaghetti rice (rice vermicelli) served with various garnishes.
The not-​favored-​by-​American dishes could be a different story altogether.
However, I might be wrong on that call too.
The most prudent strategy might be to only come here if you have an Ethiopian friend who could steer you reliably to the good stuff.

I have visited Abyssinia Restaurant twice before last night, Liked them but am a little bothered by my experience last night. I brought my best friend who was in town and told her that she needed to experience the great live music here on Fridays. Unfortunately, we had already eaten elsewhere so we were too full to have a meal here but I ordered one drink. My friend was in a rush to get home so after my drink we were ready to go, I couldn’t find the waitress so I went to the bar to tell them that I wanted to close my tab. Instead of closing my tab one of the waitresses brought me another drink. Nice but I didn’t want another drink, I just wanted to close the tab. I said it three times to her but she kept telling me after I finish the drink she would close my tab but I kept saying I didn’t want another drink and that I wanted to close my tab she just nodded and pointed to the drink saying yes, after the drink I will bring you the tab. I guess there was a misunderstanding because I assumed now, that she was giving me a drink for free. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, and I received a bill with the charge of two of the drinks, instead of one. I was a little upset because I did say 3 times that I wanted to pay for my drink, not one time did I mention that I wanted another one. I drank it anyway and paid for it without a fuss because I had to wait a while for her to come back and take my card. and, I am all for supporting African businesses. However, I do wish that the people that are working pay a little more attention and listen to customers. I also found it fishy that she opened the waitress wallet with my signed receipt and looked at it before I left the door, it made me wonder if I had been charged twice purposely or if she was looking to see how much in tips she got. Either way, the waitress could have waited until we left to do that, I found it rude.

I am happy to revise my review. The food there was exceptional. We shared the vegetarian combo plate and it was delectable. Back to five stars!

Enjoyed the Keyena Alicha: combo of Yebere tibs, Keye wat and Baklava. Also the live music by Maurice, Philippa, & Friends.

I met a friend here for dinner last week. We both like Ethiopian and she had been here a few times. I think I had actually been here once before back when I first tried Ethiopian food.
Both being vegetarians, we got the veggie platter. The food was decent enough and some were well seasoned — just enough to have a nice hint of spices. However, most of the veggie sides left no real impression on me or my palate. I think perhaps overall they were under seasoned. It was not bad at all and I’m curious to give them another try.
The setup at the restaurant was pretty good as far as Ethio places go around here. A couple table options inside, otherwise the traditional Ethiopian seating, plus seating outside. Service was fine. Id give me a 3.7 stars if I could.

so a friend and I were in the mood for some Drinks and Ethiopian food. I have spent some time at Abyssinia before but only in the late evening. Nice atmosphere, not to loud or rowdy the guests are usually a little more mature. During the summer they even had live music outside, pretty sweet!
So going in I was pretty familiar with the vibe but I have never eaten there. It was a Tuesday night around 8pm there are a few tables that have a more «Traditional» feel, I was shooting for one of those but they were all taken. So we just grabbed a regular table. We were still in happy hour there were about 15 – 20 others there eating and mingling, so it was a nice setting. I don’t like eating in a place that’s empty. The service was nice and prompt, we only had a small dish, beef Tibs with veggies and Wat not sure of the actual name. Everything was very fresh a very well-​seasoned. I wish we had ordered more.
Over all it was a very nice experience, it all felt very authentic from the music, to the décor, to the food. We will be back, I’m sure. Good job Abyssinia!

My friend and I came here for an early dinner and were sat at a cozy little table that sort of looked like a basket. We ordered the combo platter for 1 person and lamb tibs, which ended up being more than enough food for the two of us. The table had just enough room for the platter, but luckily they set up little side tables around our chairs for drinks, etc. It’s a bit unconventional but comfortable. and seems authentic? The service was great and the atmosphere was pretty chill.
The food itself was alright. To be honest, I thought it had a lot less flavor than other Ethiopian places I’ve been to. I was pretty disappointed, but my friend liked it. Different palates, I guess. I’m definitely glad they had honey wine though! I love me some honey wine.

So for a long time now, all the ethiopian cab drivers have told me they love coming here. So what do I do? Come try it out, of course! I was not let down.
We ordered the mixed platter and the abyssinia lamb tibs. The lamb was bomb! This is actually the only lamb tibs I’ve thoroughly enjoyed at any ethiopian restaurant. I was also very satisfied with the meats on the mixed platter. The only thing I was let down about was the vegetables. They lacked much taste. The basic tomato & lettuce salad actually had more flavor than the others.
I’ve never been to ethiopia but I sure feel like I’m in another country coming into this restaurant. From the table set up & decoration to the music, it just feels right. And the swarms of ethiopians just chillin’ here, make me know that I am at the right place for ethiopian food.

Came here for lunch after purchasing the Groupon for the veggie/​meat Messob platter for 2. Originally it is priced at $ 40, but the Groupon was only $ 22.
This was the most disappointing Groupon I’ve bought and one of the lowest quality Ethiopian place I’ve been to in the DMV area.
First, this restaurant has a gnat problem. There were so many gnats flying around our food and restaurant that we were distracted by trying to shoo them away the whole time during our meal. It was not an enjoyable experience having to do that throughout the meal. It was unpleasant.
There is a large TV screen so it is a good place to watch games I suppose. So I would not recommend it for an intimate date, even though the restaurant is really dark even in the middle of the day (very minimal and low lighting. not romantic lighting, just dark).
The messob platter (feeds two) original cost of $ 40 is not worth it. I thought it would be good to try their spread, but I realized their was barely any veggie dishes (one potato dish, cabbage, and greens dish) that I usually am used to when it is supposed to be a meat and veggie combo. And it felt like they just divided the portion of meats (a chicken dish and some other meats that were indistinguishable) in two around the dish so it looked like there was more variety, but there wasn’t. The meats were really dry and lacked flavor and not warm enough. I’m not sure how they prepare it but it just didn’t taste very fresh.
I would have preferred ordering a la carte for a real veggie platter (elsewhere) and one meat dish.
Lastly because we had used the Groupon, I think it was odd that our server emphasized what the original price was (which is the few words we exchanged during the entire dining experience). I’m guessing it is because she wanted to remind me to tip on original price, which I would have known and did tip accordingly. However, I must day, for being the only party in the restaurant, I thought she did minimal work and did not refill my water until I asked at end of meal nor were adequate napkins provided.
Overall pretty disappointing meal and unpleasant dining experience. Maybe try another Ethiopian place down the street instead. There are tons to choose from in Silver Spring.

There are so many great choices for Ethiopian in Silver Spring and Abyssinia just isn’t in the top tier. We came here because there were waits at our old standards and we hadn’t tried it yet; now we know why it is generally not as crowded.
We ordered the Abyssinia kitfo raw, which had the cheese, onions and peppers mixed into it. I definitely prefer when the cheese is separate and you get to mix it in yourself, though they did give us the pepper sauce. It wasn’t as buttery and delicious as kitfo can be, and the texture was less smooth than I’d like. We also had a vegetarian combo, which I found to be generally a bit bland.
The music was loud but the space didn’t really have any energy to it. The lights were down super low because but they were eventually turned up.
Not a bad restaurant but just not nearly up to the standards of similar places just a couple doors down.

My wife and I have been going to Abyssinia for years, and it is by far one of our favorite restaurants.
Walk through the door into the dimly lit, cozy dining room, and take a seat at one of the small tables fit for one serving platter and little else. Or, if you’ve got a bigger party, sit at a conventional table. It is yours for the evening, or until you decide to leave. Do some people-​watching for a moment– the majority in the room are Ethiopian. Everyone is smiling and relaxing.
Order from the fairly deep menu. Lots of meats, stews, and vegetarian-​friendly dishes? Check. Served hot on an injera tablecloth? Check. Relaxed, casual, and friendly service? Check. Bandstand? Check. All the makings of a great neighborhood Ethiopian restaurant.
Pick up a warm piece of injera and scoop up your food, the sauce dripping down your fingers. The flavors are wonderfully spiced and well-​balanced. In no time, you’ll have gobbled up as much as you could, but the portions are so big, that you’ll inevitably have to bring home tomorrow’s lunch. No worries– they’ll give you extra injera for that, too.
I love this place and cannot say enough good things. If you need a place to unwind, this is it. If you need to have an uninterrupted conversation, this is the place to do it. Don’t expect them to hurry you out. Getting them to take the check can be tough, because they’ll let you have your table for as long as you want. Tell the server that you’ll have your payment ready quickly when they bring out your bill.
A note for those who have gluten allergies: their standard injera is NOT gluten-​free. It is delicious, but it uses some flour to make it stronger and more absorbent. However, they WILL serve you 100% real teff injera if you call and make a reservation. They need 24 hours notice to do this. I found this out when a friend with Celiac disease came to visit. They will not charge extra for it, but apparently, they don’t always keep it stocked. A major thing to be aware of if you have allergies.

We had quite an enjoyable experience sitting outside in a well-​shaded area on Memorial Day for lunch. The food was new to us so we chose something that the next table had, Golden Tips, which was a grilled lamb, a bit of salads and the Ethiopian bread. The St. George beer is Ehtiopian, they said, and an ok lager.
It is a friendly place where we struck up a conversation with two different tables and exchanged book recommendations about Ethiopia and other African countries. We will go back.

Walked by for the Taste of Fenton and tried the veggie platter and sambusa. I don’t normally eat Ethiopian food, but I thought the sambusas were crispy and full of flavor. I liked the flavor of the veggies, but it was served cold. I think it was because they were serving people outside, but again, the flavors were very good. My sister loves Ethiopian food, so I will for sure bring her here.

Do not come here if you are in a hurry. It took 30 minutes just for them to give us our bill initially, for us to tell them it was wrong, and for them to do it over again.
The food that same out was tasty, but nothing that really blew my mind away. We ate a lamb dish that was a little tough, and it was supposed to be cooked with jalapeño peppers, but it was not spicy at all. The fried fish didn’t have as much meat in it that I would have liked, and the injera was a little dry. I also felt the prices were somewhat higher than other Ethiopian places in the area…

3.5 stars
I came here on a Friday night with my boyfriend and my aunt for a casual night out for catching up and enjoying good food. We did enjoy many things about our meal here, but there were also definitely some shortcomings of this restaurant that affected our experience.
The décor was actually very charming, with very attractive decorative pieces on the walls and a cute bar. The tables were great for gathering as a group and sharing conversation over a nice meal, the chairs were comfortable, and there were little side tables where each person could put their stuff. The atmosphere is very laid back and pleasant.
Unfortunately, so was the service. Our waitress was friendly enough, but there was definitely no rush to get us our food or even a move to fill our waters. Since most Ethiopian food is not cooked to order and it wasn’t all that packed, there wasn’t really much reason for the food to take so long to come out. Luckily we were there to have a long, casual night, but we were also itching for food when we got there and were disappointed with the length of the wait.
Now for the food. We did start with some drinks while we waited for our food, and though we enjoyed the very sweet honey wine and the Ethiopian beer, all of the alcohol was wildly overpriced ($ 8 for each glass of honey wine, for example). The food was generally pretty good. The injera was excellent – soft and spongy for picking up all of the rest of the food. The dishes are big and beautiful in their presentation, and there is definitely plenty of food to go around.
My boyfriend and I shared a vegetarian combo platter, which had its pluses and minuses. The salad was very nice and well-​dressed. The lentils and the split peas both had nice flavor and were really enjoyable, but the potatoes and the collard greens seemed under-​seasoned. My aunt ordered a meat dish, and while the meat was tasty, the vast majority of the dish was a pile of collard greens in a clear liquid. She didn’t end up eating most of it because the greens were uninteresting at best.
Overall, we had a really nice time and I would definitely go back to give it another try. That being said, I imagine that there are far better Ethiopian restaurants in Silvery Spring and/​or in DC, and I would rather spend my time and money in those restaurants than in Abyssinia.

This place is good, and it is not too expensive. What more could one ask for in a meal?
I give it 4 stars because they are exceedingly generous with the vegetarian platter. Some places, even when you order 2 orders of the vegetarian special (there are 2 here: we opted for the 7 choice option with salad, shiro wat, gomen wat, tikil gomen, mesir wat, kik alicha and another wat of potatoes and carrots), they still give you just about the same amount as for 1 order. That is kind of annoying, but this place is NOT. The platter came out wicked full — so much food, they needed 3 entire pieces of injera stretched out on the bottom to cover it (most places have 1 – 2 pieces for a 2-​person platter even with 2 orders). So, that definitely made me happy.
Also, they brought a heap of injera, at least 3 pieces split into manageable sizes for pulling apart and using to pick up the food. The salad also came separately — although only lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos and onions with vinaigrette, it was perfect and ridiculously generous. Most places give you 2 spoonfuls of salad, but this was an entire plate.
The setting is great too — authentic. I appreciated the small tables next to our main table for our food. The small tables were good for our injera, salad, and drinks.
The service is wonderful. Everyone is very attentive and very nice. No need to ask for anything, they are ready to make sure you’re good to go for everything. Maybe because we were the first table to eat dinner inside, who knows. It was awesome though.
The food — great. The cabbage (tikil gomen) was ok, it could’ve been more flavorful. The potatoes were a bit too firm for my taste. However, everything else was extraordinary. The kik alicha had a well-​developed flavor. Nothing was too salty or bland, which can sometimes happen. The mesir wat was spice-​filled without being overly burn-​your-​mouth spicy. I enjoyed the gomen wat a great deal as well, probably because I could tell the greens were fresh, but still cooked properly and with attention to depth of flavor. Shiro wat — tasty and satisfying, always a great way to eat injera.
Will we go back? Yes. There are several other Ethiopian places in Silver Spring, but this is certainly in the top 3. For service, it’s #1. For portions, #1. I have to say that if they had napoleons and a larger selection for the veggie combo (like beets? other stuff??), they’d probably be #1! If I’m looking for the standard 7-​item veggie combo, this is my choice in Silver Spring!