I love their veggie combo and the special lamb dish! The place is pretty solid: clean and great atmosphere. Service can be slow sometimes but 5 stars for their food! Parking by the restaurant can be hard to find but there's a metered public parking right across the street. read more

Authentic home made just like Mom would make it. Even us the locals eat here.The cooks are not Americans they are Ethiopian/Eritrea. They know how to cook and present.my advise, ask for the house special. read more

There are many Ethiopian restaurants in Silver Spring but Meleket stands out. The veggie sambusas were crispy and perfectly spiced. Everything in the veggie combo was delicious, the cabbage was tender but not mushy. We also tried the Meleket tibs with lamb, also tender and delicious. The decor was lovely, I enjoyed the streaming Ethiopian music videos. I look forward to going back and trying more dishes! read more

Delicious, authentic food and wonderful service! Our family of 6 including younger children all left full and happy. The service was incredibly attentive. One daughter was brought an extra dish she had wanted to try but was nervous it might be too spicy, the youngest was given bread and butter to munch on before trying the new foods. Kids say..delicious...amazing..very good! Thank you for giving us all a perfect introduction to Ethiopian food, we'll be seeking it out more in the future and will definitely come back when we are in the area! read more

Really good quality ingredients, comfortable relaxed atmosphere. We really enjoyed the vegetarian options here and the Ethiopian coffee is great. We will be back for sure, such a nice addition to the neighborhood. read more

I moved nearby recently, and we hosted a friend. We took the occasion to get some takeout, and ordered four dishes. They were ready promptly, the portions were generous, and the food was excellent. Couldn't ask for better. We'll be back. read more

This review would be 5 stars, but I've only ordered takeout so far so I can't comment on the dining-in experience (yet). My takeout experiences have been great! I love when a place actually uses the phone number you provide to call you if there's a question/problem with your order, instead of just waiting for you to arrive to fix it. The first time we ordered from Meleket, someone called me back 10 minutes later to say that one part of our order wouldn't be ready and offered to make us a different dish to our liking. Truly appreciated! The staff has always been very friendly, both on the phone and in person. The food is wonderful! I love that the veggie platter has some spicy components and some mild ones, since that allows us to share it with the family. The yellow lentils and kale are great non-spicy choices. The lamb dishes have been on point too. Also, they include plenty of injera bread so you aren't forced to use the soggy pieces that have been sitting under the food (unless that's your thing). This place has the right ambiance for date night. Can't wait to try it! read more

Been to Meleket restaurant twice now. This time took mom since she is in town. LOVED all the dishes! Definitely get the Meleket's Special Tibs--we got the one with the lamb which comes with two sides of yellow split pea and lentil also (a pleasant surprise as the menu did not indicate so). The lamb was so fresh and nicely marinated. This is why I appreciate some of the ethnic restaurants, they actually take the time to marinate the meat which most typical American restaurants don't (sorry for being candid). Also enjoyed the vege combo which is good to get even if you are not vegetarian, to get good amount of vege in your meal. Also liked the "Yebeg Alicha" which has meat with the bones. I like dishes with bones as the bones actually makes the dish taste slightly sweeter (natural) and richer. For those who are adventurous or had grew up with eating more variety of animal parts, the "Tripa" dish is amazing. The tripe, which is cow stomach, was cooked in spices long enough which has infused with turmeric and other spices--healthy AND tasty! It is really an outstanding dish. The light plate--is actually made with Ethiopian alphabets, that they hand made themselves. How fun! Since the place just opened not too long ago and is owned by two brothers and a sister and helped by more family members, I am happy to work with them on some areas. For example, calling at 7:15 on a Friday night for reservation at 8:15, the man said they are booked for the evening, which I found it hard to believe. I somehow convinced him to make a 8:30 reservation and later found out the crowd at 07:15 did eventually clear out and they definitely had room at 8:30. The owner apologized that some of the staff could be better trained. The service is outstanding, very attentive, courteous, and open to comments/suggestions. Oh, this is not on the menu yet but they are working on a new menu. Definitely get the Ethiopian honey wine--goes well with everything! We love Meleket, more than the Keren in DC, as it is less crowded with prettier decor. We have already planned to bring more family to come by in a couple of weeks. read more

Great food, large drink selection as well that was very reasonably priced. The place was very clean and inviting, will be back!

Great food. Great value. Love this place. Zizi's tibs will change your life. The sambussas are the best as well.

Finally found my go-to Ethiopian restaurant in silver spring! Great atmosphere, amazing customer service, and delicious food! The missir wot was sooo good! I've tried MANY ethiopian restaurants in silver spring and DC, and this one is by far one of my favorites! Huge portions! read more

Great customer service and authentic Ethiopian food! The atmosphere is beautiful and our food was phenomenal!

Fabulous customer service. Excellent food, definitely home cooked, with love, from scratch. They were roasting fresh coffee beans while we were there and shared a cup with us! read more

Meleket Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Delicious food and wonderful service! We will be back. Ordered the combo platter with the house lamb, beef, veg and everything was well done! read more

My favorite Ethiopian restaurant! Everything is so fresh and yummy! And they were quick too. We had several dishes and they were each magnificent. Truly really liked everything, and it's fairly priced as well! read more

My wife and I have been frequenting Ethiopian restauraunts in the Silver Spring area for the past 20 years or so. We love Ethiopian food. There is a plethora of Ethiopian restaurants to choose from. There are several that we find to be excellent in taste, quality, and service. We like to try out ones that we have not been to, however. Melekeet had overall high ratings, so on Nov 14 we decided to eat there. We were greeted by a friendly hostess and that's where the pleasant experience came to an abrupt halt. We asked her if we could sit at a larger table as the one or 2 person table is just too small for a tall large person like me. She said she could not because if the place filled up she wanted to have the larger table saved for larger groups. We nicely pointed out that in fact the restaurant was totally empty at the time we walked in, and in fact until and hour and a half later when we left. I must point out that they were doing a number of carry out dinners thoughout our eating experience there. She then agreed to allow us to sit there. Since we were not familiar with their particular menu items we had several questions in regard to their food dishes. There was a gentlemen at the bar that later on became evident that he was somehow connected to the restaurant, that became agitated throughout our questions to the waitress, at times touching and shaking his head left and right. Clearly he was quite annoyed with us and made my wife and I very uncomfortable. It was quite unnerving. The waitress overall was relatively patient. It was downhill from there. When my wife took her first bite from her platter she remarked to me that there was something not quite right with the taste. My dish was ok, but not up to the standards of other Ethiopian restaurants in the area. That evening my wife began to have some gastro/intestinal issues, and upon awakening severe diarrhea that lasted throughout the day. My same gastro/intestional/diarrhea issues follow up a little bit later. Definitely a linkage between eating at Meleket and my wife and my gastro/intestional problems. Based on health issues my wife and I experienced, along with attitude issues, we would never consider going back there. There are FAR too many other Ethiopian restaurants in the Silver Spring area to choose from. We cannot explain our experience to the overall positive experience that other diners have had there. But our own personal eating experience there that night was a bummer. read more

Silver Spring is overflowing with excellent East African food; you could pick a name from a hat and probably find a new favorite Ethiopean restaurant. It was hard for me to pick a favorite, since everything in town is so good. However, Meleket stands head an shoulders above the rest. My wife and I are vegetarian, and we went with her omnivore parents. We ordered the veggie (lentil) sambussas, bayu bread, and veggie combo platter. The sambussa, like other samosa variants, is a lightly fried triangular pastry with a savory filling. However, the seasoning on Meleket's version is so fine and complex that I could have eaten it for my entire meal without getting bored. The bayu bread too, had more depth than I expected from its menu description. It might actually have been our favorite item in the meal! The veggie combo will be familiar to veterans of Ethiopean restaurants: they serve a variety of stews and sauces in mounds on a bed of injera. The difference here is a sense of freshness and clarity of flavor that carries through even the pickled vegetables. We will definitely be back! read more

This is an incredible restaurant. The food is amazing, the drinks are great, the prices are totally appropriate, there's always somewhere to sit, their Ethiopian beer is cheap. We love Ethiopian food and have tried almost everywhere in Silver Spring--this place is the best. Honestly. Eat there. read more

The Zizi's special tibs (lamb) is amazing! Best Ethiopian restaurant in Silver Spring.

The Best Ethiopian Restaurant in the WORLD !! ( not kidding) . I have been getting food from my them since I moved to DC. Always very nice and very professional. The food is amazing. read more

This restaurant is delicious! It's a pretty fancy place but the prices of the food were not very high! Lots of choices for vegetarians which is good! The bar is really nice and they have a big drink menu with lots of beer, wine, and cocktails to choose from. (Which are also not pricy but still really good). The waiter was really friendly and helpful and always asking if everything was ok! I would definitely come here again and recommend it for anyone to likes or wants to try Ethiopian food! read more

This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant i've ever been to. There is a variety of Ethiopian foods and other food like pasta or rice. One of my favorite desserts is terrimisu it so rich its amazing thats all I have to please go there it is an amazing place read more

Excellent, authentic food, a really inviting atmosphere, and caring service make this newest Ethiopian place a great option. We tried a number of dishes and found them to be authentic, complex, and delicious. When they could not provide what we ordered, the chef came out and worked with us to get a quality substitute. We will be back. read more

This rating is more so based on the fact we were shorted on our meal and overcharged. My husband and I were really looking forward to trying this restaurant and supporting this business based on other reviews. I was excited to have one of my favorite cuisines after a long hiatus and to introduce my husband to it as well. In a nutshell, we ordered the chicken sambusa appetizer which we weren't planning to do, but our server thought we should try. Next, I ordered the veggie platter and the meleket's special tibs. However, when our food arrived, I felt like there was a lot missing. First of all, the appetizer was not accompanied with a dipping sauce which explains why there was an empty space on the platter it was served on. Secondly, the portions of the veggies and the tibs were small. Thirdly, the tibs were missing their own two veggie accompaniment. This explains all the empty space on the injera when the platter was brought out. I even asked the server if this was everything because I thought it looked odd. She was surprised by my question and a little defensive, her answer was yes. I was also surprised our platter did not come with the traditional tomato/onion/jalapeno salad (timatim). The service was fine, but we did not get what we paid for. When the bill came out, I noticed the charge for the tibs was more than what was printed on menu and we didn't get the two sides with it. On top of that, the meleket's special tibs were lackluster. Definitely, nothing special about them except the price. The little bit of veggies we had from the platter were good, but I doubt we'll be back and I doubt my husband will be inclined to dine out for Ethiopian again. I guess eating Ethiopian food out in the DC area isn't how it used to be. read more

I've never had Ethiopian food before, so I may not be the best judge of it, but I have had good food, and this was no exception. Their menu had many options for vegetarians and meat eaters, and the crowd I ate with all said their entrees were delicious. This place also brings a lot of food on one plate, so don't go in without your appetite. The servers were all friendly and helpful, and it was an overall excellent experience. read more

I found Meleket on Yelp and it had great reviews so we decided to give it a try. Hands down, the best Ethiopian I've ever had and I've had plenty here in the DMV area, Boston and New York. Not only was the food great, the service was as well. The owner was very attentive, told us about the history of the restaurant, and gave dope recommendations. The veggie Sambussa was great as was the veggie combo. My partner had the Addisaba Tea and she loved it. They also have Tej. We'll be back for more. read more

The food was incredibly good here. We've been waiting for this place to open for weeks and were so excited to try it. The wait was worth it. We had a vegetarian sampler and special tibs. The sampler included a mix of five dishes, and it was delicious. The special tibs were juicy and tender, and very flavorful. It was served with peppers, tomatoes and onions. The portions were ample for the price - we could have shared one entree (but why would we do that?!). Our only caution is that as the place fills up, the service can slow down. This could be because we went on a Sunday evening. But even with that we will be back. Excellent food, close by, and good parking, too. read more

I have lived in Silver Spring for 10 years and have never eaten Ethiopian food there, which makes no sense, I know. Meleket ended my drought, and it was terrific! They made us Fasolia, which is a green been and carrot dish, even though it was not on the menu, and the rest of the food was delicious as well. Plus, "Meleket" is Ethiopian for the ram's horn, aka the shofar, and they had a beautiful one hanging over their bar, which felt right coming on the heels of Rosh Hashanah! read more

Best Ethiopian I've had on a long time! I had the lamb Melekit with a side salad and collard greens! Very flavorful and the lamb was really moist! It was so freaking good that I wanted to come back for dinner! If you are in DC or Silver Spring, MD. Def check out this spot! Friendly staff and delish food ! read more

Love this place. My young kids request to go there. We have become such regulars, they know our order. We usually get the veggie combo and tibs. My kids particularly love the samosas. Very friendly staff and the owners often come out of the back to check on us. read more

A very pleasant surprise for our Saturday afternoon. Abe, the owner was cordial, very helpful and wonderful in every way. We dined on many different samples if wonderful Ethiopian food. Now we don't have to travel too far for one of our favorites!!! And don't forget to try their beer, excellent!!! Best wishes for every success. read more

Meleket Restaurant - A wonderful mix of veggies and meat dishes!! - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

See all

We always have a great experience! I would have taken a picture but there was nothing eft! Good flavor, good sizes!

By far the best Ethiopian food I've ever had. I'm vegetarian but my family isn't and we all loved it. Atmosphere is really warm and the staff super nice. I was so glad they had authentic music in the background too. I highly recommend and will be back often. read more

Great ambience and excellent flavors! I had the lamb tibs and my colleague had doro wat. Most flavorful Ethiopian sauce I've ever had

Great food. The doro wat wasn't too spicy and the vegetarian platter and door wat was more than enough food for 2 people. Our severe was amazing and gave really good recommendation. End the meal with some fantastic Ethiopian chai! read more

Nothing worries me more when a review starts out with "I've never had Ethiopian food before...." Well, I have had Ethiopian food, as often as possible. This food is delicious here and the ambiance is delightful. The special kitfo is fantastic. I really hope this restaurant does well, and from the reviews so far, I am not alone in my opinion. read more

This place is incredibly delicious. It's definitely a hidden gem. The ambience is to die for. I cannot express how much I want to thank Feven in making my experience beyond amazing. I recommend the Zizi special. It's scrumptious and perfect. Next time you're looking for a quick Ethiopian food fix, definitely come here! read more

Absolutely delicious! Try the lentil samosas and veggie combo. It will not disappoint!!!

Always delicious Ethiopian food in a pleasant atmosphere. Friendly service is unobtrusive. Great place to talk.

Excellent food but incredibly long wait. They may still be finding their feet, they may be short staffed, they may have forgotten to put our order in so we waited quite a while but they do serve tasty dishes. The sambusas were hot and crispy and the veggie combo was delicious and satisfying. read more

See all