Continued my tour of Ethiopian restaurants in the DMV with Debab as stop number 2. The ambiance of the place is quaint, they play good music and staff is friendly. They will let you seat yourself when you come in. I ordered the derek beef tibs (I really am going to venture out to another entree on my next stop. I promise ) and they were amazing. They were served juicy so it had lots of flavor and wasn't dry. My side was lentils which also were good. I have since been back there at least 4 more times to dine in and for takeout. I've also ordered the Awaze beef tibs which is also excellent. It's served in the thicker sauce than the derek tibs and is spicer. If you like spice you will love it. The side salad is very good. It's spicy but has amazing flavor and I highly recommend it. Why only 4 stars? For some odd reason when they serve drinks, they are served without ice. Not sure who wants to drink a warm drink but maybe there is some logic I don't know about. And on two visits I ordered the gomen (collard greens) as a side and they tasted burnt so I do not recommend getting them. Other than that, great food, great atmosphere, decent service. read more

The food here is great. While I'm no Ethiopian cuisine expert, it was very flavorful and left me wanting more. We ordered one of the samplers and added in a few orders of beef tibs. The platter was huge and more than enough for our group. The injera came out cold (maybe its supposed to?), but it was perfect to scoop up all the meats and veggies. Would definitely return again now that I've got something to compare against if I check out other Ethiopian places around. It was also very inexpensive; just as cheap as getting Chinese food, about $15/pp. read more

The food is delicious, and that alone would be 5 stars. But-- serious question - is the business winding down? Here's why i ask: 6 of us showed up for weekday noon lunch, and they didn't open until 1.25 hours after their advertised open time; they only had 5 forks for the 6 of us; they ran out of bread for all of us!; they didn't have 2 of the menu items; the soda machine wasn't on/working; which didn't matter because there wasn't enough cups for the 6 of us. There wasn't enough napkins. read more

I'm Ethiopian. I've have some of the best Ethiopian home cooked meals, so when I dine out, I have very high expectations. And Ethio Express Grill fit the bill, passed the test, and any other cliché you want to insert here! I'd read some local articles about this place, and, to be honest, I was skeptical of the description of the place as an Ethiopian, Chipotle fusion spot. But, hey, now I'm a believer! I stopped by early on a Saturday evening, and there was only one other customer. The cashier recommended that I ordered the Injera Plate. I'm so glad she did, because... I'm obsessed w/ the Injera Plate with Lamb Tibs. It's amazeballs!!!!! Like. Stop reading this review. Get up now. Go here. And order it! PS: You can also order delivery through GrubHub as well. Win-Win. You're welcome. read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - Injera plate with Lamb Tibs to go - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

January's Yelp Luck Club Meeting Attendee: "HERE!". My 1st rodeo here & I wasn't disappointed. I'm not an avid Ethiopian Food consumer, however I do enjoy partaking when the opportunity presents itself. & what a way to start the visit off, my #1 go to App, YELP bestowed up on me a 20% off $25 or more...let's explore. They state: "Gluten Free Restaurant". You walk in to a very spacious, clean & an in depth environment. The walls have the basic signage of 'How To Order'. Basically mirrors the Shophouse, Cava, & Chipotle aspects, of pick this, pick that, eat & be happy. I enjoyed seeing the larger than life sign when you walk in describing the Teff, the main ingredient of their specialty Injera Bread. I opted for the Create a Meal, where I selected Mixed Greens, Grilled Tofu, Cabbage Slaw, Tomatoes, Red Onions, Cucumbers (very nice tang to it), Spicy Lentils aka Miser & Yellow Split Peas aka Kiki, with both their house mild & medium (Kocha Kocha) sauces on the side to compare. You get complimentary Injera bread with your order, as they offer Pita Bread as well. You'll have to listen closely for your order number to be called, then you go back to pick up your meal, they give you a fork & bon appetite. All other items, such as napkins, straws, condiments are by the Tea/Lemonades stations. My food was good, not as spicy as I thought with the sauces, but a great combination to use both. The injera bread is a room temperature feeling, very thin and spongy flatbread, I'll be trying the Pita Bread next time. While me & one of my FAV attendees QB, were doing creative payment to utilize the discount (they have the Belly App, so get your points while you spend your coins), I noticed some goodies in a basket next to their computerized register. Yep, they were Vegan. The Teff Bar has almonds, flax seed meal, natural dry fruits, agave, & spices. & the Teff Brownie, also has flax seed meal, almond butter, large chunks of chocolate, walnuts, organic cocoa, pure natural spices & chocolate chips...it was slightly dry. This quick-serve spot offers savory Ethiopian inspired bowls for a good price, & the service was grade A. Even though they ran out of lids for the To-Go containers & we had to ask for napkins, it was an enjoyable & positive outing/experience. read more

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I love coming here mainly for their lamb tibs and cabbage dishes. It is so good! I am a bit picky on where to go eat. This place has good food and recommend it! I work in Bethesda but travel to Silver Spring for some good ethopian food! read more

Ethio Express earns a solid 3.75 stars for the concept, execution, and taste. I love Ethiopian food, but have given up since I haven't found anything worthwhile without having to go into DC. This place is a good substitute. The concept is fast, clean, casual, and tasty; as others mentioned, sort of like a Chipotle for Ethiopian food. You order at the cash register and pick up your order at the counter. It takes about 8-10 minutes from order to food. I think it's a great concept because say you go out with a group where one is a vegetarian, the other doesn't eat beef, etc. Now, you can each get your own plate of food for about $7-9 each. The portion is generous with the injera bread and portion of food is just right. For the proteins, I highly recommend the chicken. Very juicy & flavorful. The beef & lamb were a little bit dry, with the lamb being a touch better. They give you a huge portion and it's drizzled with the sauce of your liking which adds back some moisture and taste. For the toppings, I enjoyed the collard greens w/ ayib cheese, azifa (green lentil salad), kik (yellow lentils - MMMM!!!), corn & jalapeño salad, and miser (spicy lentils). With the spicy lentils, you won't need the hot sauce. Everything was so flavorful and FRESH. I frequent this place for a more casual experience for when I have cravings for good Ethiopian, but don't have anyone to share a humongous platter with. read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - Oh mama!! Lamb injera platter with spicy lentils, green lentils, ajib cheese & collard greens, corn jalapeño salad. - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

There are a lot of fast casual pizza places, a lot of mediterranean ones, some Asian ones, and so on, but this is the first Ethiopian one I've ever heard of, opened in Silver Spring near a bevy of more conventional Ethiopian restaurants. Somewhat strangely, their vegetarian base is tofu; I'm no expert on Ethiopia but I didn't think that was a big thing there. Fortunately, the things I do expect from Ethiopian food (stewed lentils and peas) are available on the side, which seems quite sufficient. And whatever one can say about authenticity, that grilled tofu is as good as what I'd have gotten at any Asian fast casual place. The accompanying injera was about the right amount to take care of my rather messy meal (I do wish they used more secure takeout containers). The hot sauce is pretty hot. The portion was right for the price; the amount of tofu was decent, and with three sides included, my lentils and chickpeas plus a quinoa salad (eh) made for a substantial meal. They've also started carrying desert; why not try a teff cookie or a brownie or something? The cookie I tried was a tad dry, but tasty enough. The only vegetarian protein is tofu, but the bases and toppings are varied, and all vegetarian (and mostly vegan; a cheese being the only apparent exception), and their desserts seem to be vegan friendly as well. While many fast casual places are rather precious about having their own app, this one does a variety of online ordering options, and there are several ways to pick up discounts on their (reasonable to start with) prices. I didn't quite know what to expect from Ethiopian fast casual, but it seems this place is a respectable entry to DC's current craze. read more

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This restaurant was probably the best we ate at while on vacation! The service was a highlight, we were served exceptionally well and had every question we asked answered. The food was delicious and I was especially impressed by the variety of dishes my group was able to enjoy, we had absolutely no complaints. I really enjoyed trying the Ethiopian alcohol they had available. This restaurant's ambiance was very pleasant, it really made you feel at home. I loved the Ethiopian Jazz they played, and will be returning to restaurant if I'm ever in DC again. read more

We love the food here at Debab! The debab combo with the beef tibs are so tasty and flavorful. Indoor dinning here is also an experience so be sure to come and sit for a great meal. read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - outside front - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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This place is so unassuming from the outside it'd be easy to miss it but for the large Amharic print all over the street. This place is so good! No lies, it may be my new favorite Ethiopian place amongst the sea that is Silver Spring. I will be ordering from this place again! We ordered two lunchtime dishes to share - Debab Combo/Mahberawi (one was vegetarian). Their meats were phenomenal and blew away the vegetarian dish. The beef tibs were excellent. Fresh and tasty ingredients. Complex spices spruce up the dishes. Ample injera is served, but you may wish for one extra roll to wipe up all the good sauce. Prices are super reasonable for a lunchtime order, and I was able to order a carry out lunch order and have it ready to go in 20 minutes. True to form, the serving sizes were enough to make 4 meals from the two dishes. read more

Excellent and tasty food. You can tell when the chef is passionate to put her name behind her work. Thanks E

Elite Ethiopian food the best I've had since I was in nyc. I have one spot in Dc and one this is my goto outside of the city. It is amazing! Fish goulash is elite read more

Nice place for a quick bite! The staff here were super nice and very helpful, the food was good quality and the portions were good for the price! It's located just up Sligo Ave so the parking is not bad since it's slightly off Georgia. Definately recommend checking it out! read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Amazing vegetarian options with generous portions and delicious variety of spices. It is hard to decide which dish was my favorite.

Food was excellent. Authentic Ethiopian food compare to others. Service is excellent and great ambience.

Wonderful food and great service. Fun and friendly atmosphere. I'll be coming back again as soon as I can!

I haven't eaten a lot of authentic Ethiopian food so I cant compare it to that but the Rice Plate was very flavorful overall. It was just spicy enough for me but if you like a lot of spice perhaps you should ordered the hottest sauce option. It definitely reminds you of "chipotle" styled presentation but taste much better. The chicken was grilled to perfection. I would definitely order from them again and try other dishes. The delivery time will take about 40 mins so dont think you will get items super quick but my food was still warm and fresh so I'm ok with that wait time. Not major complaints but they did forget to add my injera bread i added to my meal. Womp. read more

Delicious food, attentive service, and beautiful ambience. Try the Ethiopian coffee and you will get a genuine experience! Highly recommend this place and will be coming back! read more

Really enjoyed my injera plate--a tibs/veggie combo. And the lady I talked with on the phone was also very helpful. 5 stars!

I had an excellent lunch at Nazrawi. I had the Nazrawi Tibs (house speciality, I was told) and chickpeas and greens as sides and of course Injera. All great. Highly recommend! read more

Best place with awsome food and service. My husband and a friend enjoyed shiro sikora and awaze tibs...so tasty Highly recommended place to try Ethiopian dish read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - We had Shiro sikora and awaze tibs....so yummy worth trying - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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First time eating Ethiopian food! It was so tasty. I will be back! We wanted to try something new and were so happy that we did!

Delicious food and great service. Was great for both me and my vegetarian wife. I highly recommend it.

Went to experience something different today, Express Ethiopian food. The only cook the meats to order, the rest is setup like Chipotle where to pick what you want. I had the spicey lamb with kale, spicy lentils, cabbage, string beans, feta, and jalapenos. The lamb was seasoned well and tender. I would definitely come back. The young lady who took my order was very helpful. The chef was great, he came out and spoke with me and had me sample the kale with beef, just awesome. This brother, chef Zinahbizu was so cool and down to earth. I will definitely be back. The cabbage was very good also. read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - Chef Zinahbizu - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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This is the best Ethiopian food I've had in the DMV. My friend and I LOVE Ethiopian food and have been trying a new place each month in search of the best. I've tried a LOT of restaurants in the area and each has their strengths, but nothing comes close to this place. The search is over! read more

I had previously provided a five star review from my earlier experience and had recommended the restaurant to many friends. However, I really regret to update my review to two stars, which is very generous, based on my recent takeout experience. First, the restaurant called 30 min after my order to say the kitchen could not fulfill my order for multiple plates of Doro Wat. Ok......never heard of an Ethiopian restaurant not being able to serve Doro Wat, that to early in the evening. Since I also had multiple orders of lamb, chicken, beef and vegetable dishes, I asked for one of the other dishes instead to come with the berbère sauce. She said politely she would take care of it. 30 min before the scheduled pick-up, I got another call saying that they had run out of large food tray containers and they would be packing the food in small boxes. OK, I thought, what's going on. Still, out of loyalty based on previous experience, I said fine, whatever. We came home and opened the boxes to serve our house guests. The chicken alternative to the unavailable Doro Wat was insipid. The lamb dish was reasonably tasty but the quantity was barely enough for half the number of house guests. Similarly, the 3 vegetarian platters were squeezed into 3 tiny boxes and embarrassingly small quantities to serve with each item mixed in with the other. The beef dish was ribs which might have been flavorful if they weren't dry and partly burnt. The only thing of quality was the injera. The hostess, who was extremely polite and apologetic, explained that things had gone awry because the owner was pregnant and not there. She said that they had thrown in a complimentary salad, which was appreciated, but hardly any consolation for the total disaster of a culinary evening for a special family celebration. Dear owner, you are sorely missed and unfortunately my recent experience means I will have to find a new favorite Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurant in Silver Spring. This is a shame because I like to support small independent businesses and usually return to my favorite places. read more

As longtime DC-area residents, discussing favorite Ethiopian places is a great pastime. Debab lept into the #1 spot as soon as we tried it. The veggie combo is wonderful, but the true star is the fish goulash. We dream of that fish -- somehow both saucy and crispy. read more

This was my second visit here. I came back here because I had liked this place the last time I came. Ethio Express is like the Ethiopian version of Chipotle. I tried the lamb injera plate with a bunch of sides (they give 4). The food was delicious. A must try if you like Ethiopian food. And this place is really easy on the pockets. The seating area is also sufficiently spacious. read more

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We waited well over an hour for our order and they don't have any appetizers to hold you over. (There were only a few other people there.) The lamb godin was so burned there was no meat left, just black char. They didn't drain the grease out of the ground beef dish so the injera was soaked orange. No hand towels are provided and the bathroom had no soap or towels. The staff couldn't care less. All around bad experience in a town full of better places to eat. read more

Great for when you want something quick, delicious, and something to break the monotony of salads and sandwiches! The vegetable sides are incredibly flavorful-- highly recommend the spicy lentils. I chose the rice platter, which comes with chicken; my boyfriend had the injera plate, which comes with beef. Both of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals, and even managed to finish their extremely large portions. It's definitely worth the price! read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - Rice Plate - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Fast casual Ethiopian food with a chipotle twist. First off, wanted to admit that I was really afraid to try Ethiopian food BUT the plates here looked so delicious I had to try! The restaurant is set up like chipotle where you can build your own plate with a starch, protein, veggies, and sauce. My boyfriend and I opted to split a plate since it was our first time and we got the injera plate with beef, hot sauce, split peas, spicy lentils, collards and roasted corn. Let me tell you - I'm a true believer now! It was all so tasty and spiced perfectly. The injera bread is more like a sour spongy pancake but it goes so perfectly with each plate! The staff there is so friendly. It was our first time and the store manager walked us through the entire menu and answered all our friends and made us feel at ease! All in all, I would come back and try the other plates!! read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - Injera plate with steak, roasted corn, split peas, spicy lentils, collards and the hot sauce! - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

My girlfriend and I were running late for her going away party and was looking for a quick bite. We were thinking Chipotle, but I had a Ethiopian food craving that I needed to satisfy. After some quick yelping Ethio Express Grill met all our requirements. I noticed a lot of restaurants in the DMV area has adopted the Chipotle assemble line style of serving food. At Ethio Express Grill you pick you options from a menu, and you can head to the pick-up window to see them assembling your meal. The food was fantastic and quality did not get sacrificed in the fast food concept process, however, I would avoid the corn next time. Also, this place has plenty of seating and service was on par. Overall if your are short on time like us and want a quick Ethiopian food fix, Ethio Express Grill will is the place to be at. Food - B+ Service - A Atmosphere - B+ read more

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Solid fast casual option at 2.75 stars, but I'm really surprised they set up shop so close to real-deal competition. Portions are smaller for individual consumption but still generous at their price point. Injera's fine, as are the miser, ayib, and kik. Gomen was a little bland, but easily rescued by liberal dousing of the flavorful Ethio hot sauce (why no lid provided for the tub?). Grilled beef was tough, but the cooked onions mixed in helped compensate a bit. I'm willing to come back and try their grilled lamb or chicken proteins, but given more time and budget, I'd rather hit up the other ten family-style spots within walking distance. read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - Injera plate. - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

This restaurant provides a perfect, non threatening introduction to a newbie to Ethiopian foods. Just enough of a selection to support every type of food preference, but with enough structure that diners will have an actual taste of Ethiopian cuisine. The format is simple. Order a starch and a protein and add up to four sides. Starches include injera, rice, and pita. Proteins include lamb, beef, chicken, and tofu. The sides are a nice mix of hot and cold veggies, including many forms of lentil. My family has a mix of food preferences. We love the fast casual concept of being able to see the ingredients as we add them to our meal. While Ethio Express does not have everything out on display, I still appreciate the care they took in explaining the ingredients in each side dish. My first visit will not be my last, and I look forward to bringing others to this bright, clean spot in DTSS. read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - Injera plate with lamb and tofu - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Fast-casual Ethiopian food with good flavors and a clean modern interior - all for around $10/plate. A great introduction to Ethiopian food for those who might not have tried it before. This place makes Ethiopian food more approachable than most, and still offers some of the traditional Ethiopian flavors. Seasonings and spicing may seem a bit tame to those who already know Ethiopian flavors, but the meat dishes also seem less greasy than some. Entrees are available with pita, rice or injera as well. read more

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I have tried Ethiopian food before and didn't like it... I tried this place and now I'm hooked!! This place is clean and the staff is friendly When I come here I get the grilled lamb with different sides You have to check this place out read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - When I come here I like to get the grilled lamb with injera corn, lentils and collard greens this meal is very satisfying. - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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I love this place! it's such a great concept: the fast-casual but still healthy Ethiopian food that you can go to by yourself to enjoy (the portions are filling and the toppings are already prepared!) Usually, Ethiopian restaurants are more sit downs and portions are huge/family style so it's hard to find something you can eat by yourself, at least that's what I've found. I really like their grilled chicken or lamb options and my favorite 4 toppings are: quinoa salad, split peas, spicy lentils, and collard greens. Yummm! read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - made my own plate with injera bread, grilled chicken, split peas, lentils, & collard greens! - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Ethio Express has a different take on Ethiopian cuisine. The ordering process is very similar to chipotle or kava, where you start with a base and build up your meal with protein and sides. It is a faster process than a traditional Ethiopian restaurant and has a more modern feel. The taste is delicious. I have been here several times and always choose the injera bread. The sides I tend to switch up, all of which are very flavorful. My favorite add ons are the spicy lentils, collards, peppers and onions, and the cheese. Their choices of sauces to compliment the dishes are tasty as well. All in all a mouthful of heaven. The atmosphere is well lit. I am disappointed to not see more people when I go. Usually the place is pretty empty, but that may be due to the location. When I go, I always park in the parking lot across from the restaurant in the alley. It is free in the evenings and all day Sunday. I believe that if the restaurant were closer to the popular area of downtown Silver Spring, that it will receive more attention. Besides the location, the service is amazing. Everyone I have interacted with has been super friendly and helpful with suggesting and explaining menu options. Definitely recommend this place. Especially if you are looking for a more affordable Ethiopian restaurant. ***Tip: Buy the groupon and get three vouchers for any entree! I've already used two of mine. read more

Nazrawi Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

"Express" my butt. I walked in to a near-empty restaurant on a Sunday night at dinner time, was second in line, and STILL was made to wait around twenty minutes to order my food. Then, another five minutes for them to cook the beef that WASN'T ready. The staff behind the counter would literally stand around or walk away for a "brief" moment. There were around four people working the kitchen, too. The food was comparable to other Ethiopian choices around the neighborhood, but the wait time ruined my impression of this place. Not sure if I want to go back here. Bad first impression. read more