Great vegetarian combo--good value. I came in on a Saturday night before a concert around 7 PM. I was seated right away. They sell beer and wine and the seating is cozy, decor is eclectic. I got my food within about 15 minutes of ordering and the portions were huge. The lentils were my absolute favorite. Everything was decent, but the red lentils were standout. Injira was delicious. It was easy to check out and the bathrooms were clean. It's just off the main drag in silver spring with numerous garages nearby. All in all, a great option! read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Veggie Combonation Special 6 Kind - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Shout out to my Ethiopian brothers and sisters for this phenomenal establishment! Looking for authentic Ethiopian food? This is the spot. I was greeted by warm and welcoming customer service. I stopped in as soon as the restaurant opened and was able to choose my own table. I ordered veggie sambusas as my appetizer, traditional Ethiopian tea for my drink, and lamb tibs for my main course. The drink was warming and earthy! These herbs helped digest your food and calm the senses. Ethiopian cuisine is like medicine to the body and soul! The sambusas were so delicious and warming!!! The sauce that came with it was very warming and flavorful! I felt both fulfilled and like my senses were singing! The lamb tibs were simply divine! Juicy, tender, and flavorful! Paired with the injera bread and the vegetables! Do not get me started! During the time I was here, many people were coming in and out of this place. Best believe I will be back! It is a nice treat and well worth it! Cheers! read more

It's a cute restaurant in the house, but it didn't seem to have any air conditioning. The bathrooms were upstairs and unmarked, I had to guess which door to open. The staff was nice, but kind of inattentive. I had to ask him to tell us what was what, and even then he kind of dismissed me. The food was very spicy. Sure I expect the food to be spicy but it seemed spicer than other places. The bread was good. And the water tasted metallic, they really should filter it. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Meat Combination - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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I'm a big fan of this place and stop by on a Monday around 7 PM. we were seated and able to order quickly. The food came out within 20 minutes which was awesome because I've been other places where the food just took so long. We ordered the vegetarian sampler, and I loved the split peas from it. There was a wasabi dip that I've never had before. We also ordered the kitfo medium which had a small amount of kick and was delicious. The portion size on the kitfo was good. I would recommend coming back here for great ethiopian. I entered starving and had enough for leftovers and I'm still full this morning from dinner last night read more

This was my first time having Ethiopian food and it did NOT disappoint. We stopped in before seeing a movie and it was pretty empty around 6 pm on a weeknight. The restaurant is small with a small parking lot and some outdoor and indoor seating. We sat inside and were immediately helped. We explained it was our first time having Ethiopian food, and our server was very helpful in answering any of our questions. The menu is not large, so we weren't overwhelmed by options, which was great because we ended up loving what we had! The sambusas were delicious and I loved loved loved the veggie combo!!! The chicken tibs were amazing and a must order as well. The injera that the combo came with was so nice and light, and the sauces that came with the sambusas were deeply flavorful. We couldn't have had a better first experience. We will absolutely be coming back! read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Veggie Combo with Chicken Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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I loved this place. The food was amazing, server was attentive. It's tiny, maybe six tables? I'm assuming most people do take out... But there was no wait and it was a great experience. The carrots were to die for, the lentils were delish. There were some cold lentils that I need to figure out how to make. No utensils. It's true Ethiopian style. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Vegetarian platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I was expecting so much more. I read great reviews but unfortunately this isn't one of them. I called in an order for awaze tibs and requested a tomato salad as my side. I arrived 20 minutes later and I was greeted right away. Very nice gentleman who rang me up. My food came to $22. Whoa! I pay $13 at my go to place and they give me tons of extra injera. I should have gone there but wanted to give this place a try and it was closer. I got home ready to devour my food, but it was very disappointing. It wasn't alot of food, the injera didn't taste fresh, the meat was very bland. I thought awaze was supposed to be spicy. This food was just all around not great. They included yellow lentils with my meal. I didn't ask for that. I guess I had to specify to substitute that for the tomato salad, which I didn't enjoy either. Sadly, a waste of money. I won't be back! read more

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NIce Ethiopian Restaurant. Food, service, price were fine. I tried Meat Combination Platter - everything was delicious with good portion for 2-3 people. Quite tiny dining room (but they also have outdoor seating and 2nd floor options) but nice decoration, cozy and relax atmosphere. (Homey Cafe style). Easy location and parking in Downtown Silver Spring. MD. Recommend, will never upset. read more

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I have been here more than a few times over the years. The people there are very nice and helpful. It is authentic Ethiopian food. The food is very good but not amazing. It's cool inside and they have a nice outdoor space out back. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - a chalkboard sign - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

In a city with tons of Ethiopian food it can be hard to stand out. Bete's distinction to me is twofold; it has a nice patio to sit out on in DTSS with a parking garage right across the street and/or an easy walk from the bus stops on Colesville, and if you happen to be dining with friends who are new to Ethiopian Cuisine and you're worried they might find it too spicy - Bete's is probably the least spicy of the restaurants in town. We had a meat and veggie combo, and everything was good, but honestly we prefer a little more spice than we got. From a food perspective, there are other places that we like a little better, but still, it's very good and we would definitely come back if introducing someone to Ethiopian or on a day we wanted to sit outside. read more

I love love love Bete! The service is lovely and the food is fabulous. I've never had anything bad there. I love the vegetarian platter, especially the cabbage and carrots. The different lentils are also great - I really like the yellow lentils that taste like split pea soup and the misir wot. Last time I was there, there was also a great beet salad on the platter - so good! In addition, we had a wonderful ginger and cinnamon tea that was so good I would really like to try to recreate it at home. This place is the real deal. read more

Me and a few friends went for a quick lunch. The place was pretty quiet (it's inside a house), but we were greeted well and seated right away. We ordered the tibs and the meat was well cooked, and the dips we were given as a side were also delicious. You have to go upstairs to go to the bathroom, and there's obviously not an elevator, so it's not that accessible. At least picking up your food (to eat at home) should give you less problems for those with different needs than me and my group. read more

Great for big parties! Love being able to try new foods and very happy our group chose Ethiopian! The backyard patio area is pretty with lots of greenery! Would recommend for a family outing. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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I can't believe I have not eaten at Bete restaurant. I almost always eat Ethiopian food when I'm in downtown Silver Spring,. There are so many options, I guess I just haven't gotten around to Bete yet. I consider myself an Ethiopian food connoisseur. I grew up eating it and I'm eating it even more now as an adult because it's super healthy and deliciously vegan. This meal from Bete is sold at Roots Market in Olney and it's amazing. A bit pricey just over $12, but worth every penny. It's sold with the injera on the side. My only wish is that they start selling gluten-free or 100% teff injera which is what I always order when I'm eating out. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Ready to eat fresh prepackaged meal by Bete I purchased at Root Market in Olney. This was so delicious. - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Really good food and friendly service, both indoor and cute outdoor seating with umbrellas. Parking garage across the street, which is all you can ask for in Silver Spring. One entree is probably enough for two light eaters, especially if you also get an order of sambusas read more

I have only had Ethiopian food once before this and I didn't know what to order. I came in with a group of 5 people and our waitress was super attentive and gave us recommendations. The food was delicious (a bit spicy but nothing I couldn't handle) and the decor was very cute. This place is a hidden gem in Silver Spring and would recommend stopping by if you want excellent Ethiopian food! read more

My fiancé and I came here with a friend as we wanted to try an Ethiopian place we haven't yet tried and it's right next to where we were at the Regal. At first they seated us outside but moved us all inside due to the rain. The server was very friendly the entire time. We ordered Awaze Tibs (dry sirloin steak); Lamb Tibs, and Fish Dullet. We also ordered us all Coronas as they couldn't get the shipment of Ethiopian beer. They put all of our food on one giant injera and gave us extra. The Lamb Tibs and Fish Dullet were similar to other places but definitely not as spicy. However the sauces on the injera platter were spicy. The Awaze Tibs were also unique but personally I preferred the Lamb Tibs and Fish Dullet. If you aren't a huge fan of spicy food this may be the perfect place for you but for us while we had a good meal, probably would prefer the places down Georgia Ave we love such as Langano, Beteseb, and Debab. We would consider coming back especially with someone who does not want the spice in their food. However for ourselves, we will likely be eating at the places that we'd rate 5 stars or try other new places for us. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Awaze Tibs Lamb Tibs Fish Dullet - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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I wanted to try a new ethiopian restaurant in the area, so I ended up here. The tibs in the meat platter is worthy of 3 stars but the lamb tibs, the veggie platter and the rest of the meat combo platter were sub-par. Very bland in taste, which is the last thing I would have expected at an ethiopian restaurant. I wouldn't recommend going here with all the other Ethiopian restaurants around. No one was in there to help us when we first came in (probably like 5 minutes before anyone was in the whole restaurant, lol). The server was really friendly when he got there though. Then took forever to get our order out even though we were the only ones there... They have their own parking lot, which is a plus. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Meat & Veggie Combos + Lamb Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Had a fantastic meal at Bete Ethiopian Cuisine! We were seated in a lovely back garden shaded by flowering trees. The food came out fast and hot. We got lentil sambusas (not pictured) to start and they were fresh and delicious. Pictured is the veggie combo platter with meten shiro (chickpea flour stew) in the center. We were brought enough injera on the side to eat everything up which we did gladly. Thank you for a wonderful meal! read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Veggie Combination Platter & Meten Shiro - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

This is the spot!! Okay?! Go to this place. Food, Service, ambiance. Everything you need. Nothing you don't! read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Meat Combo with some extra sides - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Located in Silver Springs near one of the parking garages Bete looks like a house and you'll miss it if not careful. I have to admit, I dined at Keren's in DC and I'm absolutely spoiled. I went in biased but the effort is definately there. There is porch seating, an upstairs dining area and a few seating options on the first floor. The kitchen is visible as well as the heat when you opt to sit downstairs. It was already 90 degrees outside and seeing that I don't like dining outside because God's creatures always want to help me eat I thought it'd be a non-issue but it was plenty warm in there. There's a tv if you want to watch. My hostess graciously turned on the olympics for me and checked on me often. My fish was prepared spicy and it was tasty. I didn't care for the samosas but will be willing to try more of the items they have on the menu. read more

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Just had a great meal here. Indoor dining is currently not an option due to COVID, but we were offered a table outside on the back patio which was a lovely shaded spot under a large tree. Staff were all very friendly. We enjoyed sambusa with lentils to start which were delicious and the lamb tibs and yeshint tibs (beef with jalapeño). Everything was fantastic and for only 2 people quite a feast! Will definitely be back! read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Lamb tibs and Yeshint tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Super friendly service and the vegan Veggie Combination Plate was delish! Weather was perfect on the outdoor patio and my pup was comfortable as we enjoyed the meal. Can't wait to bring friends and family back here! read more

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My birthday luncheon- my husband researched options in DC area and successfully picked Bete! The service was very good and we enjoyed the meat combo and Kitfo (raw meat) very much. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - What an amazingly delicious food!! We ordered the meat platter/combo!! With a side raw beef (Kitfo)- that was yummy. - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Bete means "home." This converted house feels like home. Lots of small rooms give it a private feel. Tonight my wife and I had the vegetarian platter along with the chicken tibs. They let us adjust the heat level and medium came out about right. The vegies including lentils,potatoes, collards, cabbage, split peas, and lettuce came with a variety of spice combinations. The chicken was tender and carried another flavor profile. Lots of variety to keep up your interest. The service is not good. It is unlikely your water glass will be refilled. But they always wear a smile. And the lack of attention is never personal. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Vegie combo with chicken tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

This was real good Ethiopian food . As a Ethiopian I love to feel like I'm at home 5 stars all around . Thank you ! read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - The view of the store - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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My friend and I came here for dinner after relaxing massages in the mall next door. We were seated right away in a nice, cozy corner, and then I decided on the veggie combo for both my friend and I and my friend got the beef as well. We did have to wait a while to get our food, but it was so worth it! The veggie combo had ALL the veggies on it, along with an amazingly spicy mashed jalapeño side. I kept dipping my injera in the jalapeño whenever I took bites of the veggie varieties. I didn't care for the beets or the collards as they both were cold and flavorless, which was different compared to the other veggies. My friend and I ordered the vegan Napoleon for a dessert cap, which was priced very reasonably at $3.50. We split it and were shocked it was vegan because it was so creamy! Everything tasted delicious and I would be happy to return here if ever in the area. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Veggie combo & friend's beef - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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My first Ethiopian experience! The service is a little casual to the point of slow, but when you can pull a server they're helpful with suggestions. I ordered the meat sambusa appetizer. It's essentially like a meat empanada but with a nice spicy kick. The outdoor seating is very nice. I ordered a glass of honey wine and thought it was excellent and refreshing. It goes down too smoothly! Ordered the meat combination to share. It was delicious and huge. Two people wound up full and couldn't eat it all. The server was nice enough to show us how to eat properly too. Amazing place. Will be back. Would be 5 stars if the service wasn't so slow and the dessert menu is poor. read more

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I haven't been to any other Ethiopian place in silver spring than this one for a reason. The staff are super friendly, and it's a cozy place to get delicious food. The food is really great! I think the more traditional meats can be really new for some folks, and sometimes they're good about letting you know what will be mostly raw and give you the option to have more cooked meats... And sometimes it's a surprise. I'm always trying new meats along with the veggie platter, but I wish it was a little bit easier to know what the meat texture will look like. The staff are usually helpful answering questions, but some will definitely try to get you out of your comfort zone. The staff are attentive, the place is relatively clean, and they always have more injera for you! read more

The absolute best Ethiopian restaurant in Silver Spring. We've moved to WA but when I've gone back to visit this is a must stop. The combo platter (meat + veg) and doro wat. Also very good/kind service, they gave my Mom amazing attention when we visited. read more

What a charming find in the middle of Downtown Silver Spring! Who would've thought that this restaurant would be in a freestanding house in that area? Not me! My friends and I were served dinner in a cozy room upstairs. There were other (unoccupied) tables in the room, but I loved having our own private space to catch up. Service was slow at times, but our waiter was friendly and accommodating. 5 of us ordered meat dishes, which were all served together on the same platter. WARNING- this is not somewhere to dine if you aren't open to sharing your (finger) food. With all of the dishes on the same platter, it was sometimes difficult to know whose was whose, so we all shared and enjoyed. Our friend who ordered vegetarian had her own platter, which I know she appreciated. Everything was seasoned perfectly, but I do wish that the portions of veggies in the meat combo platter were a tad larger. The room also got a bit chilly (see: old house), but that didn't stop us from having a fantastic meal and enjoying the simple, yet authentic feel of the place. I'd come back for sure! read more

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We were there Thursday evening at 8:30. Door says they are open until 10pm. Given what the host called a 'special table' upstairs. we ordered tea and asked for menus. A half an hour later we went looking for our server. We were informed the kitchen was closed. ovens shut down. Doors locked. They had forgotten we were there. We were lucky to catch them before getting locked in. NOT going bac. read more

Fantastic food, genuine and kind people, and very generous portions. Bete is a great Ethiopian restaurant where lots of Ethiopian restaurants exist. Looking forward to going again when the weather is warmer. read more

Food is absolutely delicious. Lots of seating options between front patio, back patio, or indoors. Staff is extremely kind and friendly. Highly recommend giving them a shot. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Veggie and meat combinations - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

In the DC area craving Ethiopian cuisine. Bete did not disappoint. The veggie combo was delicious and the atmosphere was like family. A cozy, friendly place. Highly recommend. read more

No repeat customer. I moved nearby a couple of months ago. I decided to give the place a try today. There were no other customers at the time I was there. There was a woman and man behind counter. I shared that it was my first time there. I told her while my supervisor hadn't been to this restaurant he told me he absolutely loves Ethiopian food. So I was excited to try them. I told her he says when he goes to Ethiopian restaurants he gets the meat platter. She asked if I liked spicy food. I let her know spicy is fine. I like meat flavored by bones. She said the chicken was legs so it was checking my boxes. I wanted my order to go. She rang me up. I'm short and was having trouble trying to do a custom tip and had bags in hand. The next thing I knew my hand hit the 30% tip. I was asking her how I could cancel. She said no it's fine. I guess so who wouldn't be fine with a 30% tip for a take out order. I'm not sure why a business would rather risk having one sale vs a repeat customer. Nonetheless had the food been good I probably would've chalked the tip mishap as solely my fault and returned. The food was not like I told her I wanted. I took one bite and felt like I would have better off coming home and opening my window and throwing my money out the window. This was a total regret. Trash it went. read more

No better than a small house nestled in Silver Spring, but with food so good that you won't even care. Bete Ethiopian is literally a small little house in the middle of Silver Spring that has been converted into an Ethiopian restaurant. There's a great outdoor patio and a series of indoor dining rooms - likely corresponding with former bedrooms - for eating. It's all fairly clean and nice, but far from anything fancy. As you might expect, the prices are pretty cheap, particularly for D.C. The food here is absolutely superb. I've had a lot of Ethiopian here in D.C., and this place has always been consistently delicious and better than any other place I've tried. The meat dishes here are, predictably, to die for, but the vegetarian dishes are almost as good in every way. Probably the best fact about this place is that everything tastes high quality - unlike some of the holes-in-the-wall in Falls Church, the meat isn't gamey and the veggies aren't wilted. Everything is fresh, high-quality, and bursting with flavor. read more

same review as before. wednesday evening in june for 2 in the back. for health reasons we didn't share, but we both enjoyed the vegetarian combo. standouts are the spicy red lentils, collards, beets and their injera. no kitfo for me this time (for same health reasons), so that was sad. bete has built a covered bar area in the back and is currently using that area to construct something . . . so i don't know how loud or busy that bar area gets for the remaining 10 or so tables in the back. our table was in an area covered with landscaping rocks and my friend's chair kept sinking down lopsided. server was very nice and inattentive in a good way. again, payment taken tableside and very efficient. read more

I went here for the first time a few weeks ago and had an amazing experience. I had only had Ethiopian food once before, but it was so good I wanted to try it again. My friends and I walked in and the woman working was so friendly and helpful. We weren't really sure what to order so she gave some suggestions and it was all amazing. For the size of our partly she had recommended 2 meat platters and 2 veggie platters and it was a pretty perfect amount of food. She kept checking in on us and answering questions about the food. The decor was really cute and just all around an amazing experience. I plan to go again soon! read more

It's a cozy small place. The day I visited it was rainning cats and dogs and was super humid. For that kind of a weather during lunch time the ambience seemed too gloomy. I had ordered the chicken legga tibs, miten shiro with some veggie firfir. The chicken was pretty good, just a little on the dry side, not enough gravy. The veggie curry that came in the miten shiro was just a puree without any element to it. So not the best choice. I loved the firfir. Another observation to mention, I used the restroom and it was in the worst condition possible which was nauseating. If I had not visited the restroom it was a good place. read more

Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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