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    Effoi Restaurant

    4.5 (52 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

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    Recommended Reviews - Effoi Restaurant

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    Veggie combo with lamb dish added
    Derek C.

    For my birthday I chose this restaurant and it did not disappoint. The food was excellent. Two of the 8 friends had never had Ethiopian cuisine. They loved it. Ella was our primary server. She explained a lot of the menu options in detail. Everyone was very welcoming. I/We will be back!

    Kitfo
    Simon P.

    Kitfo can be tricky--sometimes it's too dry, other times too wet. Effoi's version gets it just right. Perfectly balanced, well-seasoned, and full of flavor. I'm so grateful to have such great kitfo nearby.

    Chris G.

    I convinced my date to try ethopian for the 1st time ever. I picked this place and I haven't been here before. This place is AMAZING!!! Wow, what an experience she had on her first ever ethopian adventure. Ella was our server and let me tell you she served up the most memorable experience I had at a restaurant. I had the kitfo and my date had zil zil tibs and we both shared sambusa and the coffee experience as well. This has now become our restaurant toge!

    Lamb that our server threw in the box Yebeg Tibs Yebeg Tibs Awaze

    First off we found this place on google with a 4.8 star review... this is why we went. To start, we waited about 15-20 min just to get water and had to wave the server down in order to order.. I asked her "how long will it be for a veggie plater" she told me like 10 minutes. Mind you we got there at 8! Yea the place was packed but I'm sure if they would let people know how long it would take for the food to come out, they would reconsider... we waited 2 hours to get our food, which we then tell her to give us Togo boxes so we just pack it up. (We had a baby with us), well... my husband tells her he'll pack it up and she says "no I got it" and just dumps it into the box vs us being able to separate it. See pictures... food is good but the experience and her energy didn't make our time here enjoyable. We will not be back! And I truly recommend if you go here be ready to wait 2 hours for the food to come out and another hour for your check... also it felt like they were favoring the Ethiopians while we couldn't even wave her down to ask for more water... Ambiance : 3 Food: 4 Service: friendly but not attentive Wait: 1 star,

    Ethiopian honey wine

    10/10 experience! I'm fairly new to Ethiopian food so this was one of the first places I trued. I LOVE it! The food is amazing, it's fresh, and the ambiance is very welcoming. Everyone was kind when I went and they give you a lot of food. I came here for the first time on a Friday and came right back on Sunday. On Friday Ella was my waitress and she was very kind and attentive. She explained some of the food items and made sure we had everything we needed. I had the veggie combo and doro wot. Both were great! The second time I went I ordered the veggie combo again.

    people sitting at tables in a restaurant
    Michael D.

    This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant near Sliver Spring. It's has a wonderful atmosphere with a lot of locals, eating dinner, hanging out and enjoying themselves. It's a lot like you have at a family dinner. The food is legit. It is authentic as you can get.

    Doro Wot with Ayyib

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    The vegetarian platter was the best we have had in the Silver Spring area. We will definitely return.

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    3 years ago

    Excellent food pleasant service and clean and inviting restaurant. Price is also reasonable.

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    4 years ago

    Great food and great customer service! I highly recommend Effoi if you want to try authentic Ethiopian food. I will definitely go agian

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    The Breakfast Club - Chicken & Vanilla Bean French Toast

    The Breakfast Club

    3.8(470 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$$

    I've been here a few times & really love this place! It does get pretty busy but I've never had to…read morewait long for a table (for two). I love ordering the vegan hash (veggie hash w no egg) & the drinks are pretty good , but definitely over priced. The service is always great & I love supporting this business. Parking can be a little tricky on the weekends, but street parking is free on Sundays. Love the decor, I just wish the bathrooms were better kept. Mimosas -- 7/10 overpriced Cab Calloway -- 7/10 Seafood grits -- 9/10 has a little spice to it! Veggie Hash -- 10/10 super filling Veggie burger -- 8/10

    I recently got to try The Breakfast Club for a friend's birthday, and needless to say this was a…read moreone and done experience. I got to our table a few minutes after my friends had already been seated and ordered drinks, which was fine. However, we then proceeded to wait at least 15 minutes before the waiter came back to get our orders. Since we seemed to be of no urgency to our waiter I decided to go to the restroom which I definitely would've thought otherwise if I hadn't had to really go. Holes in the wall, toilet paper on the floor, liquids on the toilet seat, and a bottle of soap with no soap. Not at all what I expect in an establishment serving food with their employees using the same restrooms. We finally got our order placed after having to grab another server to flag down our waiter. One of my friends and I ordered pancakes and french toast so of course syrup would be a nice addition but was not provided. And it seemed as though every waiter tried their best to not make eye contact with us so we could ask for some syrup. I was able to grab us two sticky bottles of syrup from an employee tending the bar. And our waiter seemed to be missing in action after our food was delivered. Now I will say we all thought our meals were good, which at least was a plus. The Breakfast Club adds on an 18% gratuity to all checks with 6 people or less and 20% for more than 6, which I personally believe is why the service is so lackluster. Given the poor service and lack of cleanliness, unfortunately it doesn't matter how good the food may taste I personally don't think I would suggest The Breakfast Club for a dining experience or return for another visit myself.

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    Beautiful dining area

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    Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen - Berries & Cream French Toast

    Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen

    4.1(71 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    I ordered my food via DoorDash for pickup and it was a breeze! Cute little restaurant with a good…read moremenu! The staff was very nice and my food was ready when I got there! I got the smothered chicken and biscuits and it was so good! Every bite was flavorful and the eggs were fried to perfection. The biscuits and Cajun sauce were perfect. My husband got the fried fish sandwich and he finished it before I could even get a picture, he definitely enjoyed it and said it was good! I'll definitely be back because they have a bunch of things I want to try!

    I was really looking forward to trying Milk & Honey at the Silver Spring location since it keeps…read morecoming up as a top brunch spot. Unfortunately, my very first interaction with the restaurant completely turned me off. I called on **02/12/2026** because I couldn't make a reservation online and wanted clarification. The man who answered said the Silver Spring location is "first come, first serve" and does not take reservations. When I tried to ask a follow-up question, I was told he was on another line -- and then he abruptly hung up. If reservations aren't accepted, I'm not sure why a potential guest would be rushed off the phone instead of being welcomed or given basic information. First impressions matter, and this experience felt dismissive and unnecessarily rude. Because of this interaction alone, I've decided not to visit this location. I hope management takes customer service more seriously, especially for people reaching out for the first time.

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    Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen - Outdoor tables will be a nice way to welcome Spring!

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    Lime & Cilantro - Chicken empanadas

    Lime & Cilantro

    4.5(107 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    Oh, I can't believe I didn't leave a review for the spot, even though I've been a few times though!…read moreIt's been a while, but man are they delicious. I would describe them as a combination of classic and elevated Latin food. The vibe of the restaurant is very casual, but the presentation of many of the dishes takes it to another level. They also have a wide selection of beer and wine. I have had tacos, octopus, breakfast tacos, and tamales. Everything was flavorful and quite tasty. I will admit service was a little slow the last time I went, but given the weather and the fact that we weren't in a rush it wasn't a big deal. If you haven't been yet, you should go. The colorful presentation reminds me of Palette 22, and rumor has it they are expanding to the Ethiopian restaurant that closed next door. I hope that's true!

    Nice ambiance and good brunch menu offerings. I didn't know that they only offered brunch during…read morethe weekend so I was a little disappointed as I wanted to try something more complex but we enjoyed what we ate. Could work on those fried plantains as they were a little soggy. The quinoa salad was good, a bigger portion would have been nice for the price paid and maybe if it would be easier to eat if served in a bowl. The chorizo sandwich was okay. Presentation and bread could be better. We left curious about their regular menu so we may give it a try some other time. Their staff were nice but not very knowledgeable about their menu items. They didn't really know how to answer my question about their vegan tres leches and told me it was not actually vegan after indicating it had condensed milk and heavy cream.

    Photos
    Lime & Cilantro
    Lime & Cilantro - Empanada

    Empanada

    Lime & Cilantro - Cilantro rice.  A simple dish, but a level above any I've had before.

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    Cilantro rice. A simple dish, but a level above any I've had before.

    First Watch - The Works with toast and seasoned potatoes

    First Watch

    4.0(60 reviews)
    5.4 mi

    I have had consistently good experiences at this First Watch, and I wanted to give special…read morerecognition to Genevieve Hardin, the manager, for exceptional customer care. The breakfast and brunch options here have consistently been high quality. The menu feels fresh, creative, and thoughtfully put together, with options like avocado toast, quinoa bowls, fresh juices, and seasonal specials. The lemon blueberry cornbread was delicious, and the restaurant itself is in a nice location, well kept, bright, and pleasant to visit. During one recent visit, there was an unusual service issue at the front. Genevieve stepped in with exactly the kind of professionalism, warmth, and accountability that makes a real difference. She listened carefully, did not minimize the concern, took responsibility on behalf of the restaurant, and made sure I felt valued as a customer. What impressed me most was not just that she addressed the issue, but how elegantly she handled it. Genevieve was calm, gracious, sincere, and clearly committed to making things right. Her response reflected genuine leadership and real care for the customer experience. Mistakes can happen anywhere. Genevieve's response is the reason I left still feeling good about this location, and she deserves real credit.

    Make a reservation if you can! I walked in Saturday morning and was told the wait was ~15minutes. I…read moreended up waiting around 35minutes. It was worth the wait though. Blueberry cornbread: really good! Not very sweet so I could have eaten the whole thing. Tomato soup: I'm not a huge fan of tomato soup but it's the only soup on the menu so I decided to try it. It was really fresh with basil in it and not too acidic. I would get it again.

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    First Watch - Pay station

    Pay station

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    Effoi Restaurant - ethiopian - Updated June 2026

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