Awash is an unassuming Ethiopian restaurant that is easy to miss. Perhaps unexpected in a place like Lancaster. The service is uninspired and the lady barely spoke English. Having said that, the food is some of the best that I've had anywhere. The lamb was exquisite and the portion was large. Tender and flavorful. My colleague got the combination platter and he loved all of it. We went here to satisfy a curiosity and left overwhelmed by how good it is. We finished with their special coffee service which has a nice presentation and was quite good. It was milder than I expected, as a Cuban coffee lover, but still a worthwhile experience. read more

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Enjoyed the food very much. The place was very welcoming and answered any questions we had. I also think it's genius to have a hand washing station right by where we eat! I came in blind to Ethiopian food but was not disappointed. More than anything I really enjoyed the side vegetables. read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I love Ethiopian food and this is the only place nearby so I come here often, unfortunately this place misses the mark sometimes. We came here for chicken and beef tibs ( they are always out of lamb tibs) , the beef was overcooked and somehow not hot , the chicken was also not hot , the injera was pretty cold , I am not sure why the injera would be cold to the touch and why they would serve their meat dishes lukewarm , they need to improve their standards here. The food is a lot more than just flavor and this makes it taste much worse. The beef being very chewy and overcooked is another problem that I keep running into, please improve your standards and your cooking. We also tried some samosas which were not flavorful at all and were just packed with plain ground meat. We tried the special mango juice which was ok too. Service is always great and friendly and the place is never busy with a quiet laidback ambiance read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - Homemade Ethio Special Mango Juice, it was ok - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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Food served with Injera for the authentic Ethiopian fare. We enjoyed an evening with family. read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Great food. Newly changed owners, but not recipes - thank goodness. They did raise prices, but reasonably.

We had the lamb and veggie combo dish. The lb was seasoned wonderfully and was very flavorful. The chicken was also tasty. The vegetables were seasoned well and also flavorful. Our service was friendly and helpful. Overall I enjoyed our meal. My wife is not a fan of ingera, but she did like the food on the injera. Authenticity, friendly service and good flavor makes this a great place to eat. read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - a plate of food - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

VERY disappointed in not being able to try this place. Read such great views and was excited to try some good Ethiopian food. First off, trying to find this place is difficult because their signage is burned out, but their open sign is lit up. Upon arriving at 6:30p which is 1.5 hours before closing we were told they were no longer taking orders due to what we think was running out of "stuff" or "staff", but unsure. Either way, pretty disappointed considering we drove an hour to get here. Probably will not give this place another shot. read more

Unfortunately for me this restaurant is in Atlanta and I live in PA. I'm sure that whenever we go to visit the kids we will be going back to Awash! This was our first experience with Ethiopian food and it was delicious! The dishes were incredible and the portions were huge. Our server was very friendly and attentive, always checking to see if we needed anything and making sure we were happy with our food. Can't wait to go back again!! read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - a plate of food - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

The food is good. But the service was not great. Did not ask for water. Did not bring hot sauce, which was requested. Ambiance is also good. It doesn't matter how good the food is if we do not get good service. read more

Best service imaginable! A friend said this was the best food in Lancaster and it did not disappoint. read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - the front of the restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

We've had Ethiopian food in Nairobi, Kenya, and heard of Awash from friends. We were invited to pick a restaurant in Lancaster, PA and decided to try Awash. We were not disappointed. The Sambusa was delicious and reminded is of East African Samosas. We split a Vegetarian platter with some beef and tried several waht and Berberri sauce. All was delicious. We had one server who served our group of 4 plus two other groups. He was very busy. The restaurant is small and is unique with a had washing station in the center of the dining area. read more

We had the awash special (C4) and the lamb (L1). Sooo good, and it was very filling! I would return again! read more

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So good!!! My husband and I really love Ethiopian food and we were so happy to discover this hidden gem! To anyone wanting a tasty, filling, amazing meal...go here and try something in different! I love the Doro Wat (chicken) ! read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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I had never tried Ethiopian before but after trying Awash I was hooked. Their combinations of flavors and textures are so lovely that I've found myself ordering it every other week. The injera is always pleasantly fluffy and each scoop in the vegetarian combo makes a satisfying bite. Highly recommend for something light and bursting with flavor! read more

Great little neighbourhood restaurant. The food was great. As a family of 4 we shared 4 starters followed by 2 combos which they brought on one giant injara for us. It was more than enough. Every bite was amazing. Very friendly and attentive. We'll be back! Thank you. read more

Daughter & I were in town for a few days. Imagine my surprise to see there was an authentic, family-owned Ethiopian restaurant in Lancaster. We really enjoyed it. Neither of us had the opportunity to try Ethiopian food before. We had Doro Wet (modified) & combo C1, & shared. The owner was gracious. We will definitely return when visiting Lancaster again. Talk about a hidden gem. Only downside, which has nothing to do with Awash, was an obnoxious customer who seems like he is a regular & stays there for hours. Loud, rude, full of himself & likes to hear himself talk (about himself). And maybe play music instead of talk shows, but neither will keep us from coming back. Cannot wait to return & try something else from the menu. Thank you, Awash! read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - D2. Doro Wet C1. Vegetarian Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I have eaten here twice. Fantastic food and coffee! If you arrive there and your party is the only ones there, then stay and eat! If there are other people just leave... it is not worth the aggravation! Service is terrible... it's astonishing! You are lucky if you get everything you order! They forget to bring things even when asked multiple times. Entire meals were forgotten! It's really your call... read more

Great Ethiopia food and friendly staff. I go to Awash every time I'm in Lancaster -- so glad it is there.

Things seem to have turned around with new ownership. Good service and food came out of kitchen quickly.

Delicious food. I got the vegetarian platter, and I loved the lentils. The spices are everything. On a Monday, the place was swarming with people. The family-run service was a little slow, but I'd like to think it's because they put a lot of love into the food. Thanks for a wonderful experience. read more

Overall this is a great little place! The PRO is the food. Everything we have tried has been wonderful. We usually do the vegetarian combo and a meat dish. The combo has a lot of good things, that way there is something for anyone in a dinner party. The Kitfo is tender, and I like the chopped onions and peppers included. We've also tried the key wot which is spiced to delicousness. The only draw back is the service. This is a small restaurant and I like to imagine a little old woman making every dish in the back to order with love. But that said we usually have to wait a half hour till we start getting food. That said, so long as you don't arrive hungry, the food is definitely worth the wait!!! read more

After spending the day eating and walking around the city, my wife pressured me into having dinner at this local Ethiopian restaurant. We strolled by this restaurant earlier in the day as she dropped a few suggestions about having dinner there. Walking into the restaurant, it had a lovely relaxing vibe that made us feel welcomed. The interior exhibits a lot of artwork depicting various African images. Paintings, pictures, and various Ethiopian artifacts placed throughout the restaurant display scenes of culture. What about the food? After having my first bite, I was mesmerized. Ethiopian food is amazing, and everybody has to try it at least once! read more

This was a fun experience and we enjoyed it a lot! The food was unfamiliar to us, but was still delicious. I wonder if the injera flatbread is an acquired taste, because I wasn't sure how much I really liked it but since this is the first we've had Ethiopian food, I can't say that there was anything wrong with it! It certainly seemed legit from my inexperienced point of view, and the other parts of the meal were VERY enjoyable! The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because we did end up waiting quite a while for our food... If I recall correctly, it was about an hour after we arrived before our food came. However it was so yummy that we would still enjoy going again. Definitely felt like an authentically Ethiopian experience! read more

WOW! I drove nearly an hour to get here and it was worth the drive. Very delicious food

What an amazing find! Thank you to the kind folks at Awash Ethiopian Cuisine. The food was delicious and the service was great. We were a group of 7 there to celebrate my wife's birthday. Our family age ranged from 19-90, literally, and an amazing time was had by all. We can hardly wait to return and highly recommend supporting this local small business. read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - Yummy food and great environment. - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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The best Ethiopian food i've ever had! Everything I was served was delicious and the only complaint I have was that I didn't have enough room to eat it all! read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - C4. Awash Special Combo D1. Doro Wet - Traditional style L1. Yebeg Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I got the kitfo raw. Expertly prepared and the customer service was pleasant. The collard greens were flavorful and not overcooked. The injera was also good. read more

The food is authentic Ethiopian. Delicious and worth the wait. The spicy smells as you walk in make your mouth water. Take your time and enjoy. read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - Could not even keep their hands off until the picture was taken. - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Food and service were GREAT! Will come again as soon as we can. We came in for a late lunch and enjoyed every bite. Finished with a mango juice. Yum!!! read more

Ordered delivery from this place. They only deliver through delivery.com, which might be the worst food delivery service to still exist, but the food was worth it. I got the gomen besiga, which is collard greens and beef. It was delicious. read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - Gomen besiga (collard greens with beef), loved it - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Our family party of four walked into the restaurant at 6:30pm and ordered our food at 6:50pm. The restaurant closed at 8:00pm. It was noticeably a little odd because when we first got seated at our table it appeared that NO ONE, NOT ONE TABLE of patrons, in the entire restaurant, had food in front of them - they ALL appeared to be "waiting". We got our food at 8:55pm, TWO HOURS AFTER WE ORDERED and almost an hour after the restaurant's published closing time! The employee who greeted us when we walked in, and seated us, was also the ONLY waiter. That employee, knowing full-well that we probably would not receive our food for an hour plus, should have informed any patrons walking in, what the expected wait would be! We also had ordered mango juice, which they were out of. We also ordered honey wine, which they were also out of. Also ordered sambussa - they were out of both choices! Only one waiter for the entire restaurant. He NEVER came to fill our water glasses and we had to ask multiple times for water, napkins and plates and when he, finally, brought the plates, he brought two, for a party of four! Then, at 9:00pm, clearly with 2-3 tables having patrons still eating, the lone waiter left for the night, leaving the remaining tables with patrons, without a waiter! The icing on the cake, though, was when one lone customer, an apparent friend of the restaurant owners, got seated, had his order taken and received his food in 25 minutes!! HIS great service and speedy meal delivery all within the watchful eyes of all of the entire rest of the restaurant patrons all eagerly awaiting their food, ordered 1-2 hours earlier! Food was good but absolutely THE WORST SERVICE....EVER!!!!! From the time we entered the restaurant and left it was 3+ HOURS!!! Totally ridiculous, rude and just plain unacceptable! read more

Very friendly. We arrived around 7 and they close at 8. When I asked if we had enough time to dine in vs we should take out. She gladly asked us to take seats. After our meal, had few minutes of chat with the owner. Owner expressed that she doesn't like to turn away anyone and is willing to even take customers when they come in last min, as she wants to serve all customers especially as they might be hungry. That's her generosity (but shouldn't be taken as guaranteed as they need to close on time and have their well deserved rest). She was able to customize the size for our needs. We would definitely go back. read more

Great little piece of offbeat culture. Service was friendly, authentic and helpful. Best to go with the vegetarian sampler and a choice of meat. The lamb was tender and tasty. I'm a huge fan of their fresh squeezed mango juice. It's certainly worth a visit if you are looking to add to your recipe collection. The fun part with the Ethiopian cuisine is you eat with your hands and you use a fermented flat bread to help collect and sop up all of the delicious flavors. read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

The food is great and the owner is very nice. I highly recommend going here is you like Ethiopian food.

The food was good, but they never refilled the water. The plates were just plain. No pretty ethnic service ware. They were very nice and came out to talk. read more

I would like to thank this business for saving me from my initial experience with Ethiopian food 2 years ago. WOW. What a great family business and attentive customer service! They were always asking us if we had enough water or coffee. While you're there, I recommend you try the coffee (it's espresso with a hint of cinnamon / cardamom) presented in a cute little espresso cup and I was there for all you can eat for 12.99. Trust me, you'll be full and the food was delicious and just the right amount of spice. If you're feeling more adventurous, they had this jalapeno paste which added a kick to all the food. My favorite would be the beef compared to the chicken they had. Try both? Why not! Side note: there are no utensils and its all hands. And if you're confused how to consume the food? Take this cool chance to ask how and learn about the culture! read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - All you can eat spread - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

We were visiting from out of town and stopped at Awash because we love Ethiopian food and it good good reviews. We were not disappointed! We shared a sambusa before the meal and my husband had the Awash Special Combo; I had the yebeg tibs (lamb) with a side of gomen (collard greens). It also apparently came with a side of green beens and cabbage with carrots. It was so much food and so delicious! It was extremely well seasoned and cooked perfectly. The injera was the perfect texture and yummy when soaked with the sauce and juices from the meal. Highlights were the yebeg tibs, the doro wat from the special combo, and the sambusa. Wait staff were helpful and friendly and accommodated my food allergies graciously. And then we got the bill and we couldn't believe how low it was for such a huge meal! Definitely recommend and we will be coming back if we're ever back in Lancaster. read more

Had dinner here with my fiance and my outlaws tonight. We were tired of the usual Lancaster Dutch dishes and the usual restaurants we go to. Well, let me tell you, there isn't much diversity in food in Lancaster, PA---which is why we were pleasantly surprised to have an Ethiopian restaurant so close to the house! Addisu (also the name of the owner & manager) is very friendly, talkative and it was nice to talk to him about his native Ethiopia. It's a casual place, that serves superb food and coffee (brewed before your eyes with a coffee siphon) and a flat screen TV playing Ethiopian TV! ALSO! ANd this is important: THE RESTAURANT IS IN THE BACK OF THE LOT. IT IS THERE!!!!!! JUST IN THE BACK!!!!!! read more

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Went to this place closer to home after first having Ethiopian food in Philadelphia and finding it "okay," though nothing to write home about. I am glad I gave it another try because the food here was excellent! Had two different types of lamb, one spicy and one not, both delicious! The injera (the sour dough type bread used to eat the food) was not nearly as sour as the one I had in Philadelphia, which is a good thing. It meant I could actually eat and enjoy my whole meal, which I believe I already said was delicious, but cannot stress enough. The owner came out to greet and talk to us and was as friendly as can be. The place is small, no frills, and tucked out of the way in a shopping center (which is unfortunate). They have Ethiopian television on and all sorts of imported coffee for sale. And speaking of which, order some coffee at the end of your meal and they will make it at your table. Ethiopian coffee is the bomb! Will definitely make it back here. Hope others can find it and make the business a success. Would hate to see it go. read more

Awash Ethiopian Cuisine - Coffee Maker - Ethiopian Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I don't know Ethiopian foods, so I can't tell you how this food would taste to an Ethiopian. But I can tell you that my wife and two sons enjoyed our stop at Addonai this past weekend. Thankfully, Saturday night at 730 it was empty, which meant our wonderful waitress (and cook, possibly) could take the time to answer our questions and help us make menu choices that our boys would eat, and we would all enjoy. And that, she did. We had one lamb, one beef, and one chicken - I believe the lamb and beef were the second in each menu section, and the chicken was the one that involved the 5 vegetable samplers. The real confusion came when the food was delivered on one enormous plate. My wife and looked at each other and shrugged, and the waitress again explained how the injuri was ripped into strips and used to pinch the food between the ends of the strip. The "aha!" moment was enjoyed by all, and we dug in. What fun! Our middle boy hates silveware, so this was his destiny...in a resturaunt, where you can't get chastised for using fingers! The food was so interesting and new....a wonderful experience, to have new tastes intermingling on your palate! We couldn't demolish it all, so some came home with us, along with samposas, a samosa - like food with lentils inside. My only regret was that I didn't try their mango juice or coffee, but that's the joy of anticipating my next trip! What a wonderful addition to the spectrum of food offerings in Lancaster. Highly recommended! read more