It has been a very long time since I have been to Dukem and it is one of my favorite Ethiopian restaurants in the city. We recently stopped in because I had tickets to see Trevor Noah and this location is close to the Lyric Opera House. We kept dinner simple, we did the Dukem Combo( combo with meat and lamb and various vegetables). This is perfect for sharing with a small group and the price point is always good here. The service is quick and efficient as well. This location stays packed as well. If you are in the Mount Vernon neighborhood make sure you stop in SYOY read more

See all

To start: WOW. Absolutely amazing food. We got the group sampler and my socks were blown clean off. This is a very hole in the wall, dive vibe kind of joint. You are coming here for the food and the food only. You're not getting service to die for, cocktails to swoon over. You are coming here to EAT. AND YOU WILL EAT. The food is so complex and delicious and unlike anything I've ever had. I wish I could eat my plate every where I go. There are no utensils here. Come with clean hands and an empty stomach, and patience. You're here for the food, you'll get your food! But it just might take awhile read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

Really good food, no seats was available but I was fine with sitting outside because it was nice out.

There seemed to be a bit of a language barrier because we asked for water while waiting for friends and 2 bottles were brought to the table. We were able to explain that glasses of tap water were fine. No drinks on the menu but after pointing & explaining we were able to get good beer and honey wine. Fortunately our friends arrived and knew much more about ordering. And when our waitress saw that we were ordering separate things that were better served on a family platter, that was helpful! Food was great! Ambiance was nice! Music was not too loud! We had a very nice dinner. read more

This was my first time at an Ethiopian Restaurant and I thoroughly enjoyed everything! The food, the service and the atmosphere was absolutely delightful. I highly recommend this hidden gem! read more

I went to this location about 2 years ago and it was good-nearly better than the historical DC location. Yesterday, however, I ordered beef tibs for take out and the food was bland. There was no spice, minimal flavor and overall disappointing. I added spices when I got home. There has never been a time where I needed to add anything to Ethiopian food. The yellow lentils had no flavor and they didn't add any of the cooking oil/sauce to the meat. The simply tomato salad was also subpar. I will not try it again. The 3 stars are for the ease of placing an order and the food being ready and warm at pickup. I believe they may be catering to a non-ethnic demographic and as such, have diluted the essence of the native dishes. read more

Heard a lot of good things about Dukem and honestly was not super impressed. I thought the food was good but nothing to write home about. I got the combo #4, it was a decent amount of food but was also pretty expensive in my opinion. read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - Dukem Combo (4) - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This was my first time having Ethiopian food and it was a wonderful experience. I was so happy to see so many options for vegetarian/vegan food! The service was excellent, the staff attended to our orders timely. The place is so warm and inviting, I will surely be back again to eat more food :) read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

Came here alone to eat and read. Server was kind, my food was delivered quickly, it was delicious. The atmosphere is very easy going, clean and nice. Would absolutely come here again! The veggie platter was amazing. read more

A small and intimate find near the symphony performing venue and theater! Friendly staff and great food with amazing flavors! read more

I agree that this restaurant can be hit or miss but when we went fortunately it was a hit! Ordered the unity, which is a great sampler to share if you want to try a lot. Food doesn't come out piping hot. Only con is the price, has gone up over the year. read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - Unity Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I have been coming to Dukem for the past 5 years with a preference for dining in rather than take-out -- I just liked the food more fresh. I'm glad they were able to make it through the pandemic, and I think it is the best (and maybe only?) Ethiopian food in Baltimore. Ambiance: A very small and casual restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. Friendly atmosphere and feels a little bit more of a hole-in-the wall place being on a street corner tucked away from a bit further from the main bustle of N Charles St. Service: Friendly staff, and no complaints. They explain the menu items that may be new for people experiencing Ethiopian food for the first time. Food: As a vegetarian, I usually get the vegetarian combo or the platter, depending on how many people I am sharing with. The vegetarian platter is always a visual delight, a colorful display of a variety of plant-based dishes arranged in perfect harmony. The injera bread, a staple of Ethiopian cuisine, served as both plate and utensil, enhancing the sensory experience of the meal. The tangy, slightly spongy bread was the ideal counterpart to the bold flavors of the vegetarian dishes. Some of the vegetarian curries include spiced split lentils, yellow peas, collard greens, potatos, tomato salad, spiced cabbage, and more. The food is consistent and flavorful each time. They offer more injera bread as needed. I would note that there not alternative options to injera, such as rice, if you dislike the sourness of the bread. Overall, reliable place in Baltimore that I like to go once every few months. read more

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food and loved it. Our table of 3 ordered the deluxe special veggie platter #3 with fish. Everything was so flavorful. Our service was not too memorable; atmosphere was small but cozy. Hope to be back! read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - Deluxe veggie platter #3 - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I've been eager to try Dukem for quite some time, and I'm happy to say it did not disappoint! This is my second experience with Ethiopian food; the first was at a restaurant in Ellicott City, but I can't really compare the two since I wasn't eating beef back then. I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive about trying Dukem due to the mixed Yelp reviews. I ordered the Dukem combo number 2, which included regular beef tibs, key wot, minchet abish, and a tomato salad, along with injera. I didn't eat my meal until the next day, and when I heated it up in the microwave, the aroma was incredible. Ngl, I tried not to get too excited, worried I might be let down, but let me tell you, everything was fresh and delicious! If you're not into spicy food, this might not be for you, but for me, it was just right. The beef was tender with the perfect amount of fat, although there were a few chewy bits. I could have done without the salad. Also, I noticed the price listed online was lower than what I actually paid--almost a $3 difference. I can't wait to return and either try something new or reorder the same dish! read more

See all

Dukem was on my Yelp bestie's Baltimore collection list for a while. We were craving some Ethiopian food. We were a group of three and decided to opt for a combination sampler. We chose to try the Dukum Combo (4), but later when we were billed they charged us for the Dukum Combo (5) so I'm not sure which one we ordered. In the past, we've had our waiters tell us which each thing was, but this server just gave us the plate with no explanation. Thankfully we've had Ethiopian in the past so we could guess which some things were. Like always, the injera was delicious. However, a lot of the things on our plate were a bit one dimensional. I wish they had more flavor like we're used to. While I'm happy we tried this spot, I wish things were a bit more flavorful. read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - 23. Dukem Combo (4) - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Stopped by with my vegetarian kid on a day trip to Baltimore. Although I'm a carnivore, I also love my veggies and I had high hopes for the deluxe veggie combination. I knew it would be pretty big so I just ordered one portion for the two of us. The plate was colossal and filled with a great variety of delicious things (see pic), including a yogurt dish I'd never had before. Injera bread was fresh and delicious. We were both stuffed and happy afterwards. Service wasn't super friendly but hey, I came to demolish injera not to make friends! Will happily return. read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - 2. Deluxe Special Veggie #2 (14 items) - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

The food was delicious! First time and I will return. Very convenient location. Fish was cooked to perfection. Rice and salad seasoning exceptionally good. read more

The food was flavorful. The staff friendly and accommodating. We spoke for hours while the music played and ended up being the last two in the space. The staff allowed us to hang out. Definitely returning. Especially since our server remembered me from years ago! read more

I finally got a chance to try Ethiopian food for the first time, and it will definitely not be my last. Dukem gave me the opportunity to try a new culture of food on a whim. With a broad menu, which I was very inquisitive about, since many of the items I was unsure of what they were, I opted for the Dukem Special Beef Tibs. And it definitely pleased my palate. Seasoned tender chunks of beef cooked with peppers and onions. Delish! And the tomato salad which accompanied the dish was amazing. I could literally have eaten that alone. Broaden your horizons and give Dukem a try. read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - Dukem Special Beef Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, and it was such a tasty and fun experience. The ladies who took our orders/served us were super understanding, explained the different menu options, and gave great suggestions as to what to order. I had one of the combo samplers, and it was delicious; I loved the sour notes of the veggies. You definitely get what you pay for; it's on the pricier side, but I had plenty of leftovers. It's also a tiny bit cramped; I wouldn't come here with a large group. But I would definitely come back here if I have a craving for Ethiopian food again. read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Incredible food -- and if eating in, see if you can get a table upstairs. Great space to gather with friends for amazing Ethiopian food in Baltimore. Plus their delivery rocks. read more

Wow oh wow!!! Food was absolutely outstanding. I was showing the person who I took to this restaurant Ethiopian food for the first time. We really enjoyed our experience. The food was great. The atmosphere was good they even were playing music videos from other countries on the TV, which was interesting to watch as well, the service was just OK. Had to wait longer than 15 minutes just to get the waitress to come over to the table which is surprising due to the restaurant being so small but they were busy so I understand. We weren't given any drink menus, which was odd due to the fact that they had a full bar. What I ordered was the unity family I believe ordering that dish enables everyone at the table to try different foods as well as have more than enough for two people ended up accompanying the food with some honey wine. That was my first time trying, honey wine, and it was amazing. Sweet with the taste of Honey And after bite of the alcohol. I only gave them four stars, due to the fact that it was super small and excessively hot in there. In addition to the fact that our service was not the best. Our waitress with come to our table, and then we wouldn't see her for 20+ minutes. read more

So disappointed. My Doro wot was made with chopped chicken breast instead of whole chicken parts. Serving was small for over 70 dollars. read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - Worst Doro wot I've had. They used chopped breast meat instead of whole chicken parts. For 70 dollars there very little. - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

We hadn't been to the Dukem in Baltimore but we were really in the mood for some ethiopian food and didn't feel like going into DC. We walked in and picked our seats. There was a jar of hand sanitizer at the table so that was nice. Me and my boyfriend got a combo platter to share and it came with meat options for me and plenty of veggies for my bf. Everything tasted great especially the lentils and the beef tibs. Plenry of injera for us both. I'd recommend Dukem read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I picked up Dukem for lunch a week or so ago. It's near enough to walk from work, so I ordered pickup from GrubHub, and it was ready about 20 minutes later. I love Ethiopian food, so I wanted to try everything on the menu. But on this first visit I chose Key Wot with cabbage and spicy lentils. Everything was delicious. And it was packaged great to go: plenty of injera! Everything I ate on this first visit was great - so I see myself walking over to pick up lunch often in the future! read more

Great food! Appears to be small once you walk in but in the summer the upstairs is open and you can sit on the rooftop. It's a good corner location. The beef tips and sambusa were great! If you've never had a sambusa before, think of a samosa but Ethiopian. I had the veggie, which mostly consisted of well seasoned lentils. You know if you do a little dance once you eat it, it's good! I haven't had Ethiopian food in a while so this was a great reminder. read more

I have been to the DC location several time and absolutely love the food their. When I heard they have a Baltimore restaurant I knew I had to check it out. I ordered the regular Beef Tibs and Sambusa on Uber eats. The Sambusa was a bit greasy but still tasty. The beef tibs were good but I've had better at the DC restaurant. Not sure if the taste was off because I had to reheat the food but I will be giving this restaurant a second try. Next time I will go in person. read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - 1. REGULAR TIBS - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

The Dukem-Baltimore felt like home this afternoon. Their staff, Amsale, is welcoming and providing service with thought and consideration that made the food that more delicious! Their menu was well thought out, offering food options from cubed beef to vegetarian options that all made my mouth salivate. After looking over the menu, I decided on the Regular Tibs. I chose the cubed tender beef with onion, rosemary jalapeno, pepper served with Injera, and a salad and spicy awazie sauce!! It's as good as it sounds. Every bite is rich in flavor and ample food for two people. Their bar is well stocked for even the most discerning palate. So lastly, I indulged in glasses of water with wedged lemons were satisfying during such a warm day like today. I'll be back to enjoy this culinary delight. read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - 1. Regular Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

It's been a while since I had Ethiopian, not to mention I've eaten at both DC and Balto locations of Dukem long ago, but last minute plans landed me at Dukem in DC, and I was extremely satisfied with the food and service. Nice vibe inside, food came out quickly, seasoned perfectly, and was absolutely delicious. Ordered the veggie combo #3 of spicy split lentils, yellow peas, greens, cabbage, shiro, tomato salad, and chick peas in spicy sauce...plus lentil sambas. For 2, it was plenty of food, which we devoured. Will definitely return to Dukem, be it their DC or Balto location. read more

Service& food is always in point! Appearance, & texture were great. flavorful, 10 of 10! Quick service & very trustworthy read more

I hate to leave a bad review and I will try to order again, as it could just be an anomaly & let's face it Ethiopian is limited in Baltimore. The food I ordered for delivery was indigestible. My sister surprised me with tibs (ribeye) and 2 sides (lentils, chickpea stew). I love my injera and try to incorporate it into my diet but because of covid have been glutinous with Western food. Unfortunately, tibs was not rib-eye but sloppy chunks of the worst flank of cheap/factory cow. I hate wasting food (as an orthodox Christian, it's reproachable to waste death of an animal) so I tried my hardest to chew each piece of meat but I just could not. I then moved on to the lentils, the most basic and classical, Ethiopian dish- it was stale and frankly made from a Dijon like base (on what planet??). My sisters jaw dropped to the floor- it was shamefully bad. My sister's disbelief stemmed from her previous pleasant experiences frequenting Dukem. Clearly this was an anomaly so I called Dukem and expressed to the lady on the line that we would like a new order because this was a bad batch and respectfully described the taste of each dish. Lady was disinterested and told me to contact grubhub. It was flippant. I would not recommend. read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - Special tibs with 2 sides lentils and chickpea - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

The was old and dry. I did not finish my meal because I was afraid of becoming sick. The service was also very slow. I was visiting from out of town and decided to try something new, but this was a mistake. read more

Have visited Dukem a few times and finally getting to a review. We usually order takeout and haven't dined in yet. The sister location is in DC & as far as I know they are the only Ethiopian restaurant in the Baltimore area. We've ordered a few items and this time we got the Kitfo & Kwanta Firfir. Kitfo was seasoned perfectly and passed the test of a very picky Kitfo Conossieur. Kwanta Firfir was also excellent with the right ratio of meat to sauce. Ethiopian cuisine is having a moment & it's great to see as there is something for everyone. They have a bar area and a dining area with two levels. The ladies behind the counter are always friendly & service minded. read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - Dukem Kitfo - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

This restaurant is OG..the flavors of the meat and vegeteranian dishes do not disappoint. We have dined in the restaurant and ordered take out. We took off few points because whenever we order take out, the restaurant reduces the amount of food despite paying the same price as dining in. We still love the food so here's hoping the owners read the reviews so they can stop these scammy ways. read more

Dukem has been one of the few Ethiopian restaurants to stay open during the pandemic and keep offering delivery and take out and I have been really thankful for them! While the food is a little more expensive than some other places I have been to, it is really tasty! My favorite thing to get is the deluxe special veggie platter which is a huge tray of delicious vegetarian dishes - I think it comes with 12 different things (exciting and veggie friendly!). The variety of flavors is amazing, and I love eating with the injera, the spongy thin sourdough that is served with the meal. I like to pick up directly from the restaurant so that it is hot, and then taking it home for our feast! Usually there are some leftovers, but not every time ;) Thankfully the food is just as good cold later as when you first get it. I have had to wait a few minutes before when arriving at the restaurant for pickup because there is not always someone at the front desk or they are busy, but they will get to you soon if not immediately. Thanks Dukem! I know I will order again when I next need my Ethiopian food fix. read more

Pretty average Ethiopian place in the region. Some of the meat dishes are very dry, however the vegan selections are very good. The spicy dishes are not at all spicy, maybe tones down for the local taste? The injera is a bit bland and needed to be fermented just a bit longer. Service is friendly and just enough without being overly attentive or neglecting. read more

Have been here twice in the past and recently ordered delivery during COVID times. It's a fantastic option for trying a new type of cuisine and the combo platters are perfect for sharing a meal with friends, roommates, whoever during these times. The combo platters are my go to for this reason and you can have a variety of veggies and meat. I don't have any comparison for Ethiopian food but I have always enjoyed my food from Dukem. Delivery took about 45 minutes, and I wouldn't say the food was hot when it came, but rather, warm. I remember the honey wine here is good here too! read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - 25. Dukem Combo Sampler 4 - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Good food and super quick service! I would go back again because its close to where i'm working read more

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - 11. Key Wot /spicy/ - Ethiopian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the city! The injera is fresh & flavorful, the beef tibs & kitfo are perfectly cooked & superbly spiced. In our family we love spicy food & this place never disappoints. My most recent meal from there was a delivery, but I can save from having been to the restaurant multiple times that the service there is very nice and the staff is very kind. The look of the restaurant is also quite lovely and welcoming. So if you're looking for good, Ethiopian in Baltimore city definitely go here it's a 10 out of 10 for me. read more

Absolutely love their food. Some of the best Ethiopian cuisine that I've had in a while. The shop itself it unassuming and easy to miss bit once you step inside be prepared to be hit with mouth watering aromas. read more