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    Abuare Restaurant

    4.8 (71 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM

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    ABUARE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Abuare Restaurant

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    Camille C.

    It was our first time having Ethiopian food and we are so happy to have found this spot. Ethiopian food has instantly became my favorite cuisine. At first it was overwhelming, but the friendly and welcoming staff explained the menu. We got the sample platter to start. I loved their yellow lentils and their yummy beef tibs. The injera bread was also super soft and yummy. This is a perfect date night spot! The vibes were very intimate. I also loved that we got to eat with our hands!

    Azam K.

    Food is tasty, came out fast, and the service was patient and kind. The roti was amazing. Veggies were addicting. Ambiance is very homey, feeling not too fancy or too hole in the wall. Very nice art, enough space for comfortable seating. Highly recommend!!

    Alma-aliyah T.

    Highly rated for a reason !! From the drinks to the food, to the service! It was so great. We ordered the meat platter and drinks from the bar. It was amazing! The servers were really kind and attentive, and the music was also very enjoyable. 10/10 would recommend !

    Tibs
    Alan N.

    This was my first time trying Ethiopian cuisine, and it was pretty good. You eat the food by wrapping it with the injera. I asked for a side salad and that's what the tomatoes were, so not sure if they have what you'd typically expect. There are two types of injera made from different flours, one being less sour and more in-line with American bread, and I can recommend that one as the original is too sour for me. Staff are all Ethiopian or Eritrean, and several of the customers were too. Overall interesting experience.

    Linda P.

    I had just wrapped up a photo shoot and wanted to treat my photographer to a late lunch. It was that awkward time of day--too late for lunch, too early for dinner--so I searched for places nearby and this spot popped up. Neither of us had been before, and he had never tried Ethiopian food, so we decided to give it a shot. He was genuinely surprised by the style of food and how it was served--definitely a new experience for him! The portion sizes were huge, the prices were very reasonable, and the flavor? Amazing. You can tell everything is made with care. The restaurant itself is simple--nothing flashy, just a clean, no-frills space with limited seating. There's street parking around, which is a plus in D.C. If you're looking for a quick, flavorful, and affordable meal in the city, this place is a solid choice. Great food, great service, and an easy win for introducing someone to Ethiopian cuisine.

    Lamb
    A'Yanna E.

    We came here after YelpElite SweatBox and the rating is accurate. 4.9! Only reason why not 5 for me is because there could've been more lamb and the waitress spaced on giving her card back...we were deep in convo almost left until I questioned the card. Maybe I hadn't paid attention to the menu at Ethiopian restaurants in the past but I've never seen Ethiopian tea on a menu. I'm a tea girlie so tried it and it is WORTH THE TRY! So good. The lamb vegetable dish was amazing. Seasoned perfectly - not salty, just right. Go, enjoy!!!

    Fish dullet with veggie platter
    Sharon W.

    Located in the Adams-Morgan neighborhood, this location is easily accessible via public transportation. Driving and parking are a headache you put on yourself if you go that route. It's located in a lower level, garden apartment-style setup. The menu could use some clarity. Limited options but with price increases, they stick to what they know. On my first visit, I had a lot of questions and from photos posted online, you'll need to order a veggie platter in addition to your protein option to make it a proper entree. I did have an issue with the veggie platter being $23 for two tablespoons of about six items. Paired with the fish dulet, it was enjoyable and enough for two people to share easily. Because I had the fish dulet and a veggie platter, there was plenty of injera. The decor is eclectic and you'll find yourself studying the wall art trying to decipher what's going on in the images. The bathroom is tiny and could prove to be a challenge if you are a full-figured individual. Not a lot of interaction between the two ladies who were working that day and the patrons. I did have to request a wine glass for my Tej (Honey wine). Why she thought I'd sip it out of the little jug it was in is diabolical. You'll find with some genres of eateries and cultures, no discounts of any kind are promoted. Capable of accepting cash, credit/debit, and contactless pay for payments. No hidden surcharges and an overall pleasant dining experience.

    Beef tibs
    Shawn W.

    One of my favorite places to have some Eritrean/Ethiopian cuisine was Kerens. Sadly a fire happened more than a year ago and the place is still closed for "renovations". So now I am on the hunt to see who makes the best tibs and injera in the DMV and my search landed me at Abuare. This place is located near Adams Morgan and the Reed-Cooke area and if you know the surroundings around U Street then you know there is a large concentration of African eateries in the area. As with any place there are some differences. One of the main differences is that Abuare when compared to other places serving similar cuisine there are no veggies included. I am very use to getting a platter with your choice of meat if you choose. Here if you order lamb tibs or fish dulet it just comes with that (injera included) and no sides. You have to order the sides and I recommend the veggie platter especially if you are sharing. We started with the beef sambusas. They were good and came with a nice spicy sauce that had a little kick that was not overwhelming. Trust me save some for your meal to add that pop. So for our selections I chose the beef tibs and the spouse went with the fish dulet. The food was cooked very well as we shared the veggie platter. The beef was not chewy but I do wish it had a bit more kick but the sauce from the sambusas helped with that. I think they seasoned or marinated the meat before cooking. Another good aspect was that you provided with more than enough injera for your meal. Plenty of times I find myself running out. Maybe it is just me but the prices seemed higher here and perhaps that is just how it is now. I am not very use to an a la carte option for sides but hey every place is different. At least there is not a 22% surcharge added for my convenience then told it is not a tip written inconspicuously on the menu or posted somewhere you will never look. Still the service and food was good and if I do not find other spots to go to this will be my go to for Ethiopian bites. If you enjoy food like this I would highly recommend Abuare.

    Combo
    Daniel A.

    Flavors are just jumping off the plate here. The combo plate and so many different flavors/textures, was so enjoyable to eat with friends. And some of the dishes were so savory/rich. The lentils were well cooked and each type of food has such distinct flavors. The service was excellent and the restaurant was hardly busy on a Sat afternoon. Delicious!

    Verina B.

    Best Ethiopian food. Very homey restaurant with great Ethiopian food. Crave this all the time. Restaurant is nothing flashy but super authentic. The service is great and quick

    Shrimp, awaze tibs, Miser wot (red lentil stew), collard greens. Spiced Tea.
    Kalila W.

    Wow. Abuare must mean perfect because thats what my experience was. Delicious flavors, all foods fresh and distinctly tasteful. Perfect spice level (for me). I ordered the shrimp, and the awaze tibs with side of collards and red lentil. Not only would i get all of these again, but i am excited to try more offerings on future visits (because i WILL be back). And guess what? It was served HOT, not room temp like a lot of places do now. Portions were plenty. The spiced tea is so good i had to get one to go. It was deliciously earthy, spicy, and herbal. Service was kind and welcoming. Ambiance was relaxing and inviting. I hope they are around a while. Definitely will come back next time i have a taste for Ethiopian food.

    A little bit of everything!
    Shebba S.

    I love this place. I visited DC on a nice relaxing trip to get away from the deep south for a while and found this place while strolling! We could smell the aroma from over a block away and decided to walk in as it was too aromatic to pass by! It was one of the best decisions I made on this trip as we were welcomed by our waitress right away. She started off my taking our drink order and talking to us about their vegan options. We opted to go for the platter and share among the group to have a family style experience as the food was plentiful. The bread was the best texture to hold up against those sauces while offering the flavor we all crave when thinking about Injera! The lentils were my favorite and cooked wonderfully with a high flavor profile. The other options were so good that I ate past satisfaction because I wanted the experience to last even longer! The restaurant was clean, which made the experience of eating with my hands better. The restroom was clean and was a shared area that was well maintained for a place like this! We ordered the Bakalava dessert, which was amazingly delightful! It came warmed, which I unexpectedly enjoyed. After having a wonderful meal, we set at the bar and talked about before leaving the restaurant. We got to talk to one of the staff as we awaited our ride, and she was very knowledgeable on things to do on a weekday. We finally got our ride and looked back and talked about this place for the rest of our evening! We eventually went back the day before our plane left and had another wonderful experience. When I visit DC again, I will make it a point to stop here! You should too!

    Iris P.

    you cannot go wrong with the deluxe combo. at $40, it is one of the cheapest but most filling and also healthy meals in the DC area. the restaurant is clean and quiet

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Service excellent, unique Ethiopian bees and the food was exceptional. Small but quaint and someplace I will frequent.

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Fantastic food! We had an awaze tibs (tasty, lightly spicy) and a vegetarian combo. New to go spot in the neighborhood

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    2 years ago

    The veg platter was one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten- wonderful place!

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    4 years ago

    Awesome food and great service! We had a big group go and we had a great time. Will definitely return.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Several dishes were a bit bland and underspiced - maybe toned down for my table? But the food was plentiful and the staff very friendly.

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    3 years ago

    Delicious and such good service!!!! Great ambiance! I'm so happy my group came in for dinner!

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Very personalized experience and good food, very diverse options and the chef and owner is very nice and friendly!

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    4 years ago

    Delicious food and extremely helpful staff! Highly recommend even if you aren't familiar with the cuisine.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Abuare Restaurant

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    HipCityVeg

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    I love you guys sooooooo much omg. my go to order is the meal deal with the basic b burger, medium…read morefries, campfire bbq, and sweetened green tea. holy crap it's so good. honorable mentions are the philly cheesesteak and veggie burger as well I was devastated when the DuPont circle location closed. I need the Chinatown location to never close so I'm writing this review

    This was really good!! I had this place bookmarked since the previous time I visited DC. We had…read moreattended a hockey game and were starving afterwards. As we were walking back towards our hotel, we actually were passing here so I chose it for our din din spot. I thought for sure it was going to be packed but luckily it was not. I knew I wanted a burger but was struggling with choosing which one. Hubs knew he wanted the Cheesesteak and knew I wanted fries. I went with the Smokehouse burger. We grabbed a seat and did not wait long for our food to come out. I really enjoyed my burger and scarfed it down! I paid for sauces, which were tiny and super overpriced. Hubs enjoyed his cheesesteak but he prefers meat. I had a bite and thought it was really flavorful and very closely tasting like the real thing. I noticed later this is a chain, which is pretty cool. I think the prices were pretty steep so I might skip on the fries next time. The food could have been warmer as well. Definitely worth a visit and will most likely be back when in DC again.

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    Yard House - Tap in to great food, classic rock and 100+ craft & local beers.

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    Yard House would not usually be my first dining choice when in an area, but we wanted something…read moredifferent around dinner. Our wait was less then 15 minutes for a table which was impressive. Our waitress needed to close out a large table so it took her a few minutes to get our beverages, but after that service was very fast. Yard Houe's menu is pretty big with Sandwiches, Burgers, Steak, Seafood, and many other items. The beer menu is expansive. I ordered three Carne Asada Tacos while my friend went with the Korean BBQ Cheesesteak. Our food arrived shockingly fast, only about ten minutes after ordering. Tacos were delicious and came with a mildly spicy beans and rice. My friend enjoyed his Korean BBQ Cheesesteak and upgraded his Fries to the Parm Truffle Fries, which he also liked. The only major negative to dining here is the price, as one meal with drink and trip was over $30. I would return here to dine again, as overall the food and service was very good.

    Been to yard house before but this was my first time at this location. Went on the 4th of July so…read moreit was pretty busy and we were put on the waitlist. The wait wasn't too bad considering how packed it was. We waited about 20ish minutes. The server was nice and very attentive. The bathrooms were located about like 3 flights of stairs up, which wasn't an issue for me but maybe for others, however they do have an elevator. I ordered the 4 cheese spinach dip which the dip itself was good however, there was a little too much parmesan on top of the chips which made them taste dry. I also got the carne asada tacos, the flavor was good but the meat was tough to chew. Every bite felt like a workout for my jaw.

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    SpiceX - Chicken Tikka Masala with naan bread

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    First time eating Indian food from a food court…read more I ordered a Butter Chicken and Palak Paneer plate with Rice. On top, I requested that they add Chickpeas, Yogurt, and Cucumber + Tomato. On the side, I added a Garlic Naan. We were looking for a quick meal. SpiceX delivered a good amount of flavor at fast food speeds. If you're looking for a sit-down experience, this location is at a bit of a disadvantage since all of these components are put into a plastic tray, everything is intermingling, and it looks like a mess. They only have plastic forks and knives (no spoons) which makes it hard to eat these saucy dishes. Lastly, since a lot of things are pre-made, they're not super hot and they don't adjust the spice level. My favorite thing about naan is it tastes like fresh bread from the oven, which you don't get here. Everything is very mild, and we normally get dishes mild to medium in heat level. If you can get past all that, I think all the flavors are pretty good and the price is very reasonable for the amount of food you get. If you're in this area, I think it is a worthy choice for a quick and affordable meal.

    A steal for a fast casual lunch place in L'enfant. They have really good lunch specials and…read morecertainly give you your money's worth for 10.99$. The butter chicken lunch special is really good and filling. You can add supplementary toppings like chickpeas, cucumber, red onions, and various sauces. Service is fast as well since it's chipotle like service.

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    Chopt Creative Salad Co.

    Chopt Creative Salad Co.

    3.2(78 reviews)
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    Sadly this location isn't my fave. I gave them a few chances but I'm done. I stopped going for…read moreawhile since I was never satisfied with my food. The customer service isn't the best. I recently visted and was quickly reminded why I don't come here. The bread was hard and stale! They skimp on portions and it's not always fresh. At these prices, it's ridiculous. I need to just walk a bit further and go back to the Metro Center location where it's much better! Sorry, not sorry!

    Seeking a light and healthy lunch, we came to Chopt after visiting the National Archives Museum a…read morecouple blocks away. Options include salads, warm bowls and wraps, which you can choose from their list of creations, or craft your own. If creating your own, the full list of toppings wasn't super clear by just looking at the menu, so you basically just need to view the full selection once you get to the counter. I chose the SANTA FE salad ($10.49 + $3.49 for grilled chicken), a combination of avocado, corn, grape tomatoes, Pepper Jack cheese & crispy shallots atop romaine. When asked, I opted for a "regular" amount of dressing which was their sweet & smoky chipotle vinaigrette; it completely coated my salad. Others in my group asked for "light" dressing and thought it was enough. As my salad made it down the assembly line, I liked how they actually chopped it up while simultaneously mixing in the dressing and therefore thoroughly combined all the ingredients. Before topping the bowl with a lid, they will include a free piece of bread if you wish. I enjoyed my salad and the vinaigrette was very bold in flavor with a surprising spice... the heat grew with every bite! It indeed had a bit of sweetness as well to balance it out. They included a reasonable amount of chicken breast for the additional cost of $3.50. The pieces were tender, lean and of great quality. The romaine was fresh and I loved the crunch and added flavor from the fried shallots. Unfortunately, the bread was very dry, but given that it was free, I really have no complaints there. Overall, the portion size of my salad was fair as the bowl ran deep and it was filled to the top! It was truly a healthy, fulfilling lunch. Plus, they have great seating right outside with a view of the neighboring US Navy Memorial Plaza. Here's hoping Chopt will eventually make its way over to the Pacific Northwest!

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    Abuare Restaurant - ethiopian - Updated September 2026

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