This spot was one of the highlights of my trip to DC! My friend and I shared the Chercher Vegan Special with the Chercher Beef Special Tibs. The vegan platter was phenomenal- super flavorful with so much variety which I loved. As for the beef, it was tender and seasoned well. Honestly, it was hard to choose which one was our favorite because everything tasted so good! And when we were running low on Injera (Ethiopian flatbread), our server gave us more. On top of the delicious food, the service was friendly and the inside was small and cozy (there's also outdoor seating too!) Overall, fantastic spot for Ethiopian food and I will definitely come back if I visit DC again. read more

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Despite being located in a quaint setting that looked like a remodeled house with beautiful decor inside and out it lacked in key features necessary for a favorable rating. Namely custom service and the unfortunate late discovery of hair in my food. Arrived for a late lunch and the restaurant was sparsely populated. I noticed outdoor seating and wanted to enjoy the sun. No one was seated out there and I found a spot. A server came out @5 minutes later and advise me that I couldn't sit there. She mentioned seating was for larger parties despite being midweek and After most lunch rushes. I was moved to another table. The view was fine and I ordered my lunch. The platter I ordered had beef tibs, vegetables and njeri. As a connoisseur of Ethiopian food, I was accustomed to having lentils included in the meal. I soon found out that that was not the case, and also that utensils was not given unless requested. The couple that had finally joined me on the patio requested utensils. I opted to follow traditional style and used the njeri as my utensils. The food had good flavor and was enjoying despite the lack of lentils until I came across a piece of hair. I immediately lost my appetite and brought to the attention of the person at checkout, as it appeared, you had to bring your bill to the Bar area to check out. The person was unapologetic and swore that no one's hair was exposed. I feel that was the way of them saying that it was my hair, which was farther from the truth. I was not seeking a discount and gladly paid my bill while pointing out the obvious about the extra bonus in my meal. Sadly, I was recommended by the workers at the Marriott where I was staying. Its proximity to the hotel and adjacent Washington Convention Center made it a great choice for lunch, and was happy for the referral. They spoke highly of this restaurant, and that made the experience worse as I was anticipating the goodness. Hopefully receive better treatment when they dine there. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Best part of this visit :-( - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Super tasty food, fast service, friendly staff, very reasonable pricing. This has become a regular for my wife and myself. We eat here at least three times a month. We prefer to go on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when the crowds are thinner. But don't hesitate for a Friday or Saturday night if we feel like eating their great food. The fare and service is always top notch whether it's hopping or sparse. We almost always get the vegan deluxe. If we feel like some meat, we add another dish and they are all good. I also enjoy their Ethiopian beer, Habesha Cold Gold. It is light, crisp, and refreshing with a clean finish. It has a mild malt sweetness up front, very light bitterness, just enough to balance and is smooth and clean with no heavy aftertaste The Vegan Deluxe is a combination plate that includes everything from a wonderful salad with fresh jalapeños and tomatoes to a wonderful assortment of lentils spiced in different way, also cabbage & carrots, and greens. I always feel good after our meals because the food is so fresh and beautifully done. Our pocketbook is grateful, too. My wife and I can leave with a bill of about $30 including food, a beer and tip. Not many places in Bethesda you can do that. The staff always smile and are helpful whether providing standard service or troubleshooting a challenge. The ambience is not upscale, but it's clean, beautiful, and filled with good people, whether it's the customers who are always having a good time, or the manager, who makes the rounds to ensure everything is going well. read more

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Small space, some tables, some bar space, an outdoor backyard space. They were very crowded on a Monday night, so I guess they are popular. We started with sambusas, which were fried very crispy, thin dough filled with chopped meat, but had a bit of a kick. Super tasty, I really liked them but they were large and filling so be aware! Then we had 2 types of beef (not sure what, we just asked for recommendations) and deluxe vegetable platter . Came with lots of injari bread. If you've never had Ethiopian food, the way you eat it is just scoop up some with the bread and eat it. No utensils are given to you. It's a little messy, but fun. The food is delicious. Really unusual. Spices that I've never really had before. Very unique. But soooo good. Great place to come with a few friends, or a date night. Definitely should try. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Vegetable platter. - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a must go if you are anywhere near the convention center. I went for the first time last year and I had to go again this year. I brought my friends and they agreed, it is the best Ethiopian we have ever had. read more

YUM. Between three people, we shared the deluxe plate with beef added, and we did a clean sweep. It was fun to rip the injera (flatbread) and dive into different combinations and choose your own adventure. We loved it. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

WORST SERVICE I'VE EVER RECEIVED AT A RESTAURANT I ordered Lamb Tibs, a dish I'm very familiar with and regularly order at Ethiopian restaurants. When it arrived, the meat looked unusually pale and undercooked, and after tasting it, it still seemed like it wasn't fully cooked. When I asked to change the dish, I was told that they do not allow substitutions even if the food has barely been touched, which is something I have never experienced at any restaurant before. I then simply asked if they could take it back to the kitchen and cook it a little longer. At that point, another waitress who I wasn't even speaking to jumped into the conversation, started yelling at me, and insisted that the dish was cooked exactly the way it was supposed to be and that nothing could be done. Her attitude was completely unnecessary, rude, and extremely unprofessional. Eventually, our waitress did take the dish back to the kitchen. Even after it came back, it was still very bland, and I had to specifically ask for berbere just to give it some flavor. Not enjoying a dish is one thing. Being treated this way for making a completely reasonable request is another. Definitely not an experience I would want to repeat. read more

I can only review their takeout, not their dine-in experirnce, but the food is delicious! The veggie platter and the bozena shiro wot especially stand out to me. Portions are generous enough for multiple meals from one dish and prices are reasonable. And they never skimp on the injera either! A reliable carryout staple for me. I've always found staff helpful and orders accurate. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Bozena shiro wot - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

If I could give 10 stars I would. My boyfriend and I took a quick birthday trip to DC from NYC. This was a last minute dinner plan after we weren't sure how the rest of the day would look post bottomless brunch. WOWOWOWOW. small space so it gets packed quick. We didn't wait longer than 10 minutes to be seated. Our servers were so delightful and happy. My most pleasant surprise here has been the service !! They gave us great recommendations and even gave us a taste of all four honey wines they had to offer. We went with the house. YOU SHOULD GET THE HOUSE HONEY WINE !!!!!!! Everything we had was absolutely amazing. My vegan bestie got her veggie platter and my boyfriend and I split the beef tibs and were so so full and satisfied. We have been waiting for the opportunity to go back. This was our last restaurant stop during that trip, and it will be the first stop for our next. They play no games here !!!! Serious food, serious flavor, serious service!!!!!! We highly recommend!!!!! read more

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You don't have to search far to find good Ethiopian food in the DC area and Chercher did not disappoint. The space is pretty small and it gets very busy around dinner time so we did have a little bit of a wait for a table. We decided on what we wanted while we waited, which allowed us to browse the menu and pick out what we wanted to get. We shared the vegan platter and added beef tibs. It arrived fairly quickly once we ordered and was a really enjoyable meal. I loved the variety of food and the beef tibs was tender and well seasoned. There was plenty of injera to go with the platter. Service was friendly but succinct due to it being so busy. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Vegan platter with beef tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was my first time to eat Ethiopian, and it was amazing. My dish was raw beef with spices and butter, with cheese and collard greens. It was amazing. I ate more of it than I should have, because it was so good. My husband had a dish of cooked steak with a salad, who we think was the more more "Americanized" version. We both had "cold gold" beers that were perfect with the dishes. I wish it could go every week. The service was excellent. The servers were patient with all our questions. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

On the Michelin guide for 2020 and 2021. Takes credit card. 6 bar seats, 9 small tables. Not good for large groups, best for parties 2-5. Babesha lager beer ($6) Mama Honey wine ($9)- sweet, with bitterness. Everything is eating with hands, not utensils. They have a sink in the corner to wash your hands. Injera- complimentary and unlimited. They will bring more. The injera is soft and thin, neutral taste. I really like the Injera. Special Vegetarian platter Special $18.99- deluxe is bigger size. Special is enough for 2 people. comes with multiple small vegetarian samplers. Some are western like salad and beets, some are Ethiopian like cooked cabbage. Eat each sample with the Injera is good. Beef special tibs ($21.99)- slices of cooked strip steak. Good flavor. Cooked well with a char flavor and soft but not overly cooked. Flavored with garlic and herbs Chicken Dora wat ($19.99)- stewed chicken. The chicken is soft and cooked well. Cooked in berbere. It was my first time having berbere- it's a very strong pepper and bitter type taste and pretty spicy. If you don't like spicy don't eat this. read more

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I've always wanted to try Ethiopian food after seeing it on social media. Washington DC is known to have a large Ethiopian community so I was excited to try the food while visiting. Glad to say I tried it. I wasn't sure what to order so went for the only dish I've seen on the internet, the platter. The platter came with a variety of sides. Very different flavor profiles and textures. I liked half of them, but it was messy to eat. The injera had an interesting texture and taste. It was stretchy, almost rubbery with a sour taste. I would've liked for them to offer wet napkins as it can get messy, bring some if you can. Otherwise you'll have sauce all over your hand until you are done eating. read more

It has been several years since I had eaten in, so decided to order delivery. I ordered the deluxe deluxe (+3.00 to up charge deluxe) vegetarian platter as I was in a deep hole of craving and wanted to try all the vegetarian dishes. The size was confusing as the box couldn't fit what was sold--there was about 1-2 spoonfuls of each side in the box, with a majority of injera taking up most of the bottom space. It really felt like a ripoff since the servings were so minimal and the box clearly couldn't fit what was sold based on pictures seen online from other reviews (almost $30). It was also just a mess since the items were somewhat stacked in one another--salad stacked on another dish. Regarding the taste, I really just didn't think it was that great. I (happily) push myself to try Ethiopian food from all over the DMV, and this really didn't hit a high note with me. I had anticipated a more intense, strong, flavorful, and spicy meal (esp based on the overwhelmingly rave reviews), and every bite was really just kind of ok. Even the injera was overall bland and lacking a base flavor, and again it was just OK. It didn't even satisfy my craving, and sadly just kind of left me wanting to order from somewhere else. It was incredibly disappointing. Overall based on price, what was delivered, and tasted, I would not return. I can't comment on the service or ambience since I did not dine in. But from previous experience, it was fine. I do remember waiting, and it being a very awkward situation with the limited room, so heads up for those who are planning to eat in. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Vegetarian Deluxe Veggie Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came here for a birthday dinner, and had a good meal. Addressing a prior review, this location does take reservations (perhaps another one doesn't). Even though we did not have one for our large party, they were able to accommodate us upstairs (6pm on a Monday). Server helpfully informed us it was individual and not family style, and even though the deluxe veggie was quite large, I finished it all (except for a jalapeño topping part). Good injera makes this a worthy restaurant for a return. read more

Hey friends! After leaving the Howard Theater, a Yelp search led me here. I was attracted to the consistent high reviews. CherCher is an Ethiopian restaurant that is also Michelin Star rated! I ordered the number #15 entree. I unfortunately can't remember the exact name of the entree. It was delicious. The beef was tender and well-seasoned. I wasn't a fan of the bread that came with the dish, it's a texture thing for me. The dish would be great served over a bed of rice. My table enjoyed their entrees as well. -Customer service was great. My MIL requested a spicy dish but it wasn't spicy enough for her. Our server kindly brought over a few spices to add to her dish. Our server also recommended all of entrees based off what we were in the mood for. She checked on us often and brought bread and water refills. -There's limited street parking out front. -There is a bar inside. -It's a smaller spot, so seating is intimate. May not be suitable for large parties. I see why this restaurant was highly recommended. I will definitely return. I hope you enjoy! With love, The Picky Pescatarian read more

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First time trying Ethiopian food & it was delicious! A new experience for us eating with our hands. We tried the deluxe veggie combo with the Chercher beef special tibs. Everything was super flavorful & was a nice combination adding the meat to the plate. Overall, the plate ended up being about ~$60 & is big enough to share for about 2-3 people. We also tried a sambusa, which was delicious & flavorful. All in all, I will be coming back in the future to try more dishes! read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Deluxe Veggie Combo with Chercher Beef Special Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Can't go to DC and skip on Ethiopian! This is a casual hole in the wall spot that you must check out... I rolled in with 16 other people and we let the server order for us. We shared 3 each of the vegan platter, doro we't, ybeg tibs, and beef tibs. Also 2 bottles of tej, 1 kitfo, and a few other small things. Wow, there was such an array of stews/vegetables/salads/dips and so many flavors in each of them. The doro we't and split lentils were popular in our group. The tej (honey wine) was a hit - if you like mead you'll enjoy this. We showed up around 5:45 on a weekday and the restaurant was able to link up a bunch of tables upstairs for us. The servers were on top of all of our requests and kept our injera and water flowing. All in about $30pp, which is super reasonable for how much we consumed. Highly recommend this place! read more

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We are fans of Ethiopian food, so when we saw a high rated Ethiopian restaurant in DC, we knew that we had to try it. The restaurant was small with packed tables inside and bar. We got there at 5:30pm for early dinner and it got busy quite fast. As in Ethiopian tradition, we enjoyed eating the dish with our hands. - veggie platter deluxe with 10 items: delicious! Different vegetables brought different tastes and texture and all of them were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. The injera was soft and had perfect sour taste. Three of us cleaned up the plate and still wanting more! - doro wat: our favorite! The chicken pieces were tender and very flavorful. The sauce was delicious but quite spicy. However, my kiddo kept eating it because it was that good! read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Menu - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Delicious dinner. Got the vegan deluxe dinner and added the lamb stew. The vegan platter was great, lots of options and lots of flavor, items ranged from good to excellent. The lamb stew was wicked flavorful though some of the pieces of lamb were of a tough variety, not necessarily gourmet cuts, but overall quite tasty. Service was adequate, not great not bad. FYI they don't take reservations at this location. read more

Chercher was only my second time experiencing Ethiopian cuisine, but it instantly transported me back to a cherished memory--my first taste of Injera bread on a Brooklyn film set while working with a famous musician. That moment left a lasting impression, and I was eager to revisit the flavors. Now living near Bethesda Row, I decided to try Chercher for dinner with friends. The restaurant was bustling, which felt like a promising sign. Though the food took a bit longer to arrive, the wait was absolutely worth it. I ordered the vegetarian platter, and it was a feast for the senses--bold, vibrant, colorful, and deeply satisfying. Each bite rekindled the nostalgia of my first Ethiopian meal, and reminded me why this cuisine is so special. Chercher is perfect for a first date, or for many more to come. It's a place where food becomes memory, and memory becomes joy. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Once again the yebeg lamb ribs doesn't doesn't disappoint!! Order extra lentils! Also if it's your birthday they will play a fun bday song on the speakers and bring out a treat with a sparkler on top :) read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I have visited Chercher over 15 times and cannot wait for my next visit! Absolutely love it! This restaurant is one of my favorites in D.C., serving delicious Ethiopian food that pairs perfectly with their wines and Ethiopian beer. I believe they do not take reservations, but I have never struggled to get a table. They have two floors and an outdoor patio, and the service is rather quick. You cannot go wrong with ordering their doro wat, tibs, and veggie platter to share. read more

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I loved this little restaurant for the delicious food, the helpful service and the charm of a small, busy restaurant. As a single, they directed me to a stool at the counter. I struck up a pleasant conversation with a man sitting nearby. I got there early, which was good because it filled up by the time I was finished. I enjoyed the vegan special, which was a lot of food, plus a tasty Ethiopian lager beer. Good times. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - The vegan special - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Came in on a Monday afternoon for lunch and the restaurant was small but comfortably half full. We ordered the deluxe platter with added beef, and it did not disappoint! The presentation was beautiful and every flavor was so balanced and delicious. The service was friendly and attentive. Highly recommend this combo--and this restaurant overall! read more

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Went here with a friend for dinner. I tried to call for reservations, but no one answered -- I don't think they do reservations. The restaurant was BUSY! We ended up sitting at the bar, but the staff asked us if we wanted to move to a table on the patio. We ordered the deluxe vegetarian plate -- which is plenty of food if you're hungry! Highly recommend, will definitely be going back! read more

Oh. My. Gosh. A few colleagues and I had plans to try a restaurant in the area but there was an hour-long wait so we headed to CherCher on a whim! WOW! Just wow!!! It WAS super crowded and the indoor space is pretty small but the food is SUPERB! Perfect serving sizes. Courteous staff. Local and welcoming vibes. You can easily miss this place but DON'T! Our food was so yummy I didn't stop to snag a picture . But trust me on this. read more

Holy smokes! This was the best meal, bar none, we had in a year. That's saying quite something as a year is a hella long time. Plus, we have never had Ethiopian food. I am looking back on my life and wondering what else of amazing I've been missing out on! My favorites, in order: - salmon, so tender and full of flavor. The spice blends on each and every one was excellent. Fish is delicate but the very many spices worked - lamb, tender, so much of the fall off the bone that it was near a pile of minced meat. Very warm and welcoming - beef, reminded me a little of Peruvian lomo saltado or Chinese beef stir fry. The umami was thick - chicken, tender. Wonderful, just upstaged by all the home runs around the plate [did you like this power plate pun? lol ] Beef, lamb, chicken, salmon - all proteins, all delicious. We would be back everyday if life allowed it! read more

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Back here again for a lunch set of beef + vegetarian platter as well as samosas (beans + green peppers). Split it amongst 3 people and we had a lot of leftovers and we were stuffed to the brim. My friends were visiting from out of town and they wanted to visit here as they mentioned that it's their favorite Ethiopian spot in DC. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is one of the best Ethiopian restaurants in the area. They appear to take reservations if you call, which I did not haha. I went on a holiday weekend thinking it wouldn't be too crowded, and I was correct. As soon as my friend arrived, we were seated immediately on the outside patio, which was lovely. They have a full bar, but they don't really have a cocktail menu, but I went classic and tried the tej honey wine, which was really great. They have both dry and sweet varieties - I got dry but it is definitely on the sweet side. Still delicious. The menu is a little confusing but the servers helped us figure out what to get. My go-to at any Ethiopian restaurant is the vegetarian sampler which here was listed as the Deluxe (I think?) and came with 10 different items. We ordered that and added the chicken tibs. It was SO much food, and unlike some other spots, there was more than enough injera. I couldn't tell you what every item was but I loved all of them. I had only had beef tibs before but the chicken ones were so good, tender, and well seasoned. Definitely recommend! read more

A must for Ethiopian food in DC! The place is small and cozy. It is pretty busy inside, but the service is good. They have a little bar with decent options. We got the veggie special platter with doro wot. It was delicious. We usually eat Ethiopian food in LA, but this was better by a slight margin. The flavors were on point and not too over powering either. Each of the items on the platter were solid. Loved the injera too. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Special Veggie Combo and Doro Wot - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I got dinner with friends at Chercher and it was so good! We went on a Saturday night and it was pretty busy, but we were able to get a table on the third floor after a short wait. The third floor was comfortable and not too loud. We got the veggie platter that comes with 7 different veggie foods to try. They all had so much flavor, it was hard to choose a favorite. We also got the beef tibs that were a bit spicy but my favorite part of the meal. They brought around extra Injera, which was very much appreciated. read more

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Omg!!!!! This was an amazing find. We love Ethiopian food and wanted to try something authentic while in DC. This restaurant was recommended by our driver and it did not disappoint. This location is small and intimate. The flavors? The presentation? Chef's kiss! We had the fish, chicken and beef tips with the vegetarian platter. Everything was seasoned perfectly and tasted fresh. Don't forget to order the honey wine!! read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Honey wine - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I had gone to this restaurant before - maybe about 2 or 3 years ago. I had raved about this restaurant so I had to bring my family here. Unfortunately, the quality was not as good as before. Although, the food looked amazing, the quality itself went downhill. At every Ethiopian restaurant, we get the vegetarian platter. You can't go wrong with that. There are 2 layers of injera on the platter, which was nice. I'm used to getting only one layer. However, the injera was not sour at all. I'm not sure if they have the gluten free kind or if they served the non-authentic one. Also, it would be nice if the injera came out warm. The food took a while to come out - not sure if that's normal because it usually doesn't take that long for a veggie platter. It's a place to try once, but I don't think I will be coming back here. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This beloved Ethiopian place in Shaw is casual and quick with their service. The food is great, more "fresh" than other Ethiopian places I've tried (as in, their spices are more mild). That being said, it's pricier than I remember from most Ethiopian places - about $55 for two people, which of course is low in general. I'd recommend this place though! Get the vegeterian platter and add beef tibs! read more

My family and I enjoyed our family-style meal here during a recent DC trip. Small dining space on the main level, but apparently there is other seating elsewhere in the building including a small outside patio area. We decided to share a large platter along with a plate of samosas to start. The main dish consisted of both their Vegan special along with a beef special tibs. Plenty of injera arrived, which of course does a great job of soaking up the sauces on the plate. So many delicious veggie options (some quite spicy!) and the well seasoned beef made for great bites. Would love the chance to return and explore other options on their menu. read more

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Delicious Ethiopian food! This place exceeded my expectations. The food was amazing! Definitely one of the best Ethiopian restaurants I've ever been to. The service was also great. I highly recommend checking this place out. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So I've never had Ethiopian food before and let me tell you, not only was it an experience, it did not disappoint! The food was fun to eat, if you don't mind completely eating with your hands, and everything was so full of flavor. Honestly, there was nothing on my platter / plate that I didn't like. I literally ate everything on my plate except for the raw onions haha. If you don't like spicy then you probably need to speak up because certain food items definitely have a kick to them, but man the food and flavors were great. I would definitely go back and eat again next time I visit D.C. The ambience is a little divey / hole in the wall feel, but you can't miss the Michelin plaques as you walk in the door and I can definitely understand why they received the recognition. The service was good and the ladies were very nice and helpful. Overall, if you are looking for great food and a fun eating experience then give Chercher a try. Enjoy! read more

Amazing spot with amazing food! I got the veggie special and the tibbs special and sheesh what a meal. These two were ample to feed to people with some left over. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Oh my gosh, the food was so good. The veggie platter was perfect for sharing and the meat dishes just sealed the deal. The service was efficient and the servers were helpful. I liked the vibe of the restaurant as it felt friendly and conversational. read more

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart - Special Veggie Combo, Mild Lega Beef Tibs, Lamb Stew - Ethiopian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia