5/5 When family…read morecomes to town, I take my hosting responsibilities very seriously. My sister and brother-in-law were visiting DC, and since my sister had never tried Ethiopian food before, my partner and I decided that CherCher would be the perfect introduction. Thankfully, we chose wisely. We had a reservation, although funny enough, no one actually asked us about it when we arrived. Fortunately, it didn't matter because the restaurant wasn't crowded, and we were seated immediately. Sometimes the universe just aligns in your favor. We kicked things off with a bottle of honey wine because if you're introducing someone to Ethiopian cuisine, you might as well commit to the full experience. For food, we ordered the Deluxe Veggie Platter, which included three types of lentils, chickpeas, collard greens, beets, cabbage, and the tomato and onion salad--which, in my opinion, deserves its own fan club. I also ordered an extra green salad because I know who I am and what I like. For the meat dishes, we went with the Gored Gored, the Assa Dullet (tilapia), and the Lamb Awaze Tibs. Every single dish was delicious. The flavors were rich, well-balanced, and exactly what you hope for when you're craving Ethiopian food. The Gored Gored was especially flavorful, and the Lamb Awaze Tibs had just the right amount of spice and tenderness. One thing I always appreciate about CherCher is how quickly the food comes out. There's nothing worse than introducing someone to a cuisine for the first time and then having to spend 90 minutes explaining what injera is while waiting for the food to arrive. The kitchen moved quickly without sacrificing quality. The service was also exceptional. Both women taking care of our table were warm, attentive, and genuinely kind throughout the meal. Great service can elevate a meal, and they absolutely did. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, but it's cozy rather than cramped. They also have a covered outdoor patio, which I'm sure is lovely during the approximately four weeks a year when DC weather isn't actively trying to harm us. As for pricing, I found it to be very fair and comparable to other Ethiopian restaurants in the area. Considering the quality of the food, service, and portion sizes, I left feeling very satisfied. Would I return? Absolutely. In fact, CherCher remains firmly on my list of places I take out-of-town guests when I need DC to show off a little. As I always say: I'm not difficult to please. I just have standards.

I had a favorite Ethiopian place. Instead, my daughter brought me to Chercher. Great choice!…read more Meant to be shared and even better to be with those we love. Our reservation. Thank goodness we had one! Getting ahead of myself and staying there.... Lamb Tibs were a clear victory over an already winning day. Wash your hands (crossing your fingers is optional) & roll up your sleeves, Chercher is divine messy greatness!

Super tasty food, fast service, friendly staff, very reasonable pricing…read more 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.

Despite being located in a quaint setting that looked like a remodeled house with beautiful decor…read moreinside 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.

I ate here a few weekends ago with my boyfriend. I've eaten Ethiopian food a handful of times, but…read morewanted him to try since he's never eaten it before. Since they had high reviews, and weren't too far from me, I figured this would be a good place to try. We had perused the menu online before coming inside so knew what we wanted to eat. I ordered the veggie sampler with red lentils, tomato salad, yellow split peas, and collard greens and a side of goat stew while my boyfriend ordered the mushroom tibs (unfortunately there are no pics due to us being too hungry to snap a photo :-( ...The veggie sampler came with a side of injera. The injera came out way before the actual platter. Since I was very hungry, I actually nibbled on that, and wished everything came out at once. The veggies were pretty tasty, but for some reason, I wasn't excited about my overall meal. The goat stew was pretty good too. What I really enjoyed was my boyfriend's dish of mushroom tibs. It was nicely sautéed and well seasoned. I'd probably order that if I ever went back. The interior was very colorful and earthy. The owner, I think, was also very hospitable.

Excellent Ethiopian spot! All the staff are super kind, and all the tibs have such good flavor…read more There is lots of seating inside, and there is a warm atmosphere you can feel as soon add you walk in. We got theMeat Lover Sampler for 3 people, and we left so satisfied and stuffed! I can't choose a favorite, everything was so delicious. Definitely worth the money, you have to stop here!

Stopped by for dinner while in the area. On a Saturday night, we were able to grab a table for two…read moreas a walk-in. We shared the Eatopia Special Tibs and Asa Gulashi. Both were good and had a lot of flavor, just wished they had more spice. We asked for a side of the spicy sauce and seasoning and this definitely turnt up both dishes! I also enjoyed the Le Anchi special cocktail, which was perfect for the cooler weather that day. Service was great. Street parking available

the food here is amazing, top of the best flavors I've had and the drinks are also good and unique…read more service was prompt and food came out very quick, and tasted warm and fresh. the restaurant has a calm ambiance and it was quiet. my waitress took her time to share with me the culture, amazing experience.

The food was really good. The service was amazing the person who is in charge of the service is…read morereally kind and a nice person! And the ambiance was great! Clean space very friendly environment.

My first experience with Ethiopian cuisine at Keren was such a memorable one. The staff was…read moreincredibly friendly and welcoming, and the surrounding neighborhood felt vibrant and full of life. We walked into a cozy, intimate space and were lucky to grab a small table for two by the window. Since it was our first time, we asked for guidance in choosing something authentic. Our server pointed us to the left side of the entrée menu, and we followed her lead. We ordered the special tibsi with chicken and the special shiro served with enjera--a traditional chickpea dish presented in a clay pot. Both dishes came with spongy enjera, which you tear and use to scoop up the food by hand. It made for a fun and immersive dining experience. The food was rich and flavorful, and we truly enjoyed everything we tried. Midway through, we did ask for forks as the enjera started to feel a bit heavy for us, but it didn't take away from the experience. Overall, I'm a fan and excited to explore Ethiopian cuisine more--maybe even closer to home next time. Highly recommend Keren if you're looking for something delicious, authentic, and welcoming.

Best Ethiopian food I've ever had! They claim to be the…read morebest in DC, I say they're the best in the country!!!! Very affordable and great customer service. Best meal I had while in town and will definitely eat here again when I visit again.

My first time trying Ethiopian food, and it was amazing! We went with a large group and…read moreaccidentally under-ordered, but the owner was incredibly accommodating and even helped us get a few extra dishes on the house. The service was outstanding, and every dish was delicious. The lamb stew was definitely my favorite. Can't wait to come back!

The food was fantastic exactly what I wanted from an Ethiopian restaurant and the prices were super…read morereasonable. I visited Beteseb with two friends and we got the veggie combo platter and the doro wot! They gave us plenty of extra injera on the side we didn't even have to ask for more. Service was great! The menu is so cute; I thought it was so clever to visualize the platters like that instead of just listing everything.

This is a great spot. It was a bit hard to find since signage isn't super clear, but it's pretty…read moretiny and located on the corner. I ordered the vegetarian platter and felt it was a good deal and amount of food. I ordered a boiled egg as well as a side of ayib. The ayib was great and the egg was delivered about halfway through my meal which was odd--I actually forgot I ordered it. If it can't be delivered with the meal, it probably shouldn't be offered. At the point I received it I was near done eating. The food tasted good and had a good price point. They also offers Ethiopian beer which was great. This was a good spot, definitely a hole in the wall so I do suggest making a reservation.

Once I walked in I could tell we were going to have a great dinner! I was craving Ethiopian and…read moredragging a friend along before an event nearby. The place feels like a mom and pop place with a bunch of different items laid out behind the glass. We were a little confused about ordering but someone at the register to the left gave us menus and we ordered. We got the deluxe veggie combo to share, which was a great price at around $15! After we paid we sat and the food came out quick. The portions were huge! We did ask for extra bread and they got it for us quickly without an extra charge. The food was just delicious. If you're looking for authentic Ethiopian food this is a great place!

AMBIANCE: Don't look for nothing fancy because you ain't…read moregonna get it. My bf and I had been CRAAAAVVVVIIING Ethiopian food for a minute. And it's his favorite food! So, he's been wanting to take me to the place him and his dad have always gone to, so know they've been coming here for years-- his dad is a dc local so... stamp of a approval 100%! It looks small when you walk in but there more seating the deeper in you go. SERVICE: Know what you want to order and get it done. You order at the cash register and then we wait for the food. FOOD: Flavorful, filling, the samosas were FRESH. Really, you could tell everything tasted very fresh. We also went in the morning if that means anything to you. Spicy but that's just me, I can't do spicy haha. Nonetheless, we coming back soon!

This was an unexpected but amazing find. After my original dinner plans with my girlfriend…read moreunexpectedly shifted I decided to refer to a recent list that was shared with me, and this spot came up. It wasn't too long since I had last had ethiopian, but I only have it a few times a year. So I was pretty excited. Once we got there, there was only one of the party inside, and it had the usual delightful decor. We got to choose where we wanted to sit and we browse the menu. We were curious about whether the honey wine was on the sweeter or dryer side, and the lady taking care of us was kind enough to let us taste it before committing. We decided to share a bottle, and we decided to do a deluxe platter as well. That included six veggies and one protein of our choice. We decided on the lamb tibs. Everything came out, and it was all fantastic. I can count the times that I have had Ethiopian lamb, and this definitely did not disappoint. I missed having beats, but I did really love the lentils. Honestly, I'm surprised I hadn't heard of this spot before. The food was fantastic and I'm looking forward to returning sometime.

Your standard Ethiopian restaurant that offers classic fare at reasonable prices. When in DC, I…read morealways try to get Ethiopian, and it always seems to come from a place where I have to take stairs down (NYC included) oddly enough. I went with the Abuare lamb tips, which were a bit spicy with the jalapeno, but packed full of flavour. It came as a set meal, but only with daal, which I was sad about at first but it was more than enough food to fill me up. The injera was plentiful and the lamb was tender and perfectly seasoned. Service was uncharacteristically good, but that might just be because it was off hours, but regardless, I was appreciative.

This was our best meal in DC, by far. The eclectic Ethiopian breakfast menu was wild (and maybe a…read morebit overwhelming), but amazing. The injera and egg dishes were unreal, but it was clear you could not go wrong here. The seating felt like someone's home, with various couches and coffee tables filling the restaurant. The coffee was one of the standout things they served; I'm not sure what they're doing with the coffee, but it was one of the better quality coffees I think I've ever had. Huge fan of this place, and would definitely return!!

I stopped by this Ethiopian spot just outside DC and was blown away by how flavorful everything…read morewas. The injera was some of the softest bread I've had perfect for scooping up all the different dishes. Every item we tried was packed with flavor, and there were plenty of both vegetarian and meat options to choose from. Inside it's a bit on the cramped side, especially if you're coming with a larger group, but there is additional seating toward the left side once you get inside which helps. The woman working there was an absolute sweetheart and helped me a ton when I felt a little overwhelmed by all the menu options. She was patient, kind, and gave great recommendations. Overall, really delicious food and a welcoming experience. I would definitely return.