| Address | 2106 18th St., Washington, DC 20009 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 11:00 a.m.-1:00 a.m. Sun-Thurs; 11:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m. Fri-Sat |
| Phone | (202) 232-6092 |
I've lived in Adams Morgan for 8 years now and I'm a big fan of Ethiopian food. About 5 years ago, an Ethiopian friend of mine told me that Addis Ababa is the best place for Ethiopian in DC. He was right. Addis Ababa isn't fancy, but the food is very good and cheap, the place is laid back and never busy, and they always seem to have a 2-for-1 beer happy hour. I highly recommend it.
I knew I found a great Ethiopian restaurant when I walked in the first time to find the restaurant filled with previous Peace Corp volunteers and Ethiopian natives. This suggested that this restaurant was real - with authentic food that wasn't spoiled by american trendiness. The food is excellent and I love the bread. And for the price, it's a great deal. Don't order too much, though. . .that bread is filling!!
“Don’t worry, you will love it!” our waitress said after we ordered. Well, we didn’t. We liked it fine enough, but love was not in the air that evening. There were nine of us for dinner, and we split many things, including two vegetarian plates. Prices were fairly low (ironically, the veggie plates were the highest items), and the quantity just about right for a good appetite. The meat dishes (beef and chicken) were a bit dry, as often happen at Ethiopian places, though covered with thick-looking sauces and garnished with a boiled egg. The flavors were meaty but not aggressive. Presentation is sparse. The vegetarian plates were by far the most interesting, with your standard features of about five items. You can pick from about eight choices including a type of salad, two lentil mushes, cabbage, and other mlanges. None tasted the slightest bit remarkable. If you like your food spicy, perhaps using the famed berbere paste, better tell them when you order. Ethiopian beer goes well with all this.
The dining area is on the second floor, while the first floor contains what they call a “sports bar”, probably labeled as such because there’s a television tuned to ESPN. There, a group of about ten African men sat in a corner, each drinking a German beer. I could probably hang out there with them, but with all the Ethiopian possibilities in the area, I’ll eat somewhere else.
My favorite Ethiopian resturant in the city is Addis Ababa, named after the capital of Ethiopia. I have eaten there at least 20 times with many different people. Each time, there is never a wait (but I normally go on Monday nights)and the ladies that wait the tables are very kind. I normally get the vegetarian combo, the lentils and potato and carrot dishes are some of my favorites. The food is normally fresh, hot and sometimes comes very quickly. Also, the special Ethiopian bread there, it is more authentic tasting than at others I have been to. Another reason this resturant should be tried is the value-- I leave full and well norished after spending only $10 to $15 bucks (yes including tax and tip) on my meal.
Great choice and I would definitely recommend Addis Ababa for everyone in the area.
I went for the weekend buffet special that includes a nice sampling of traditional Ethiopian foods. There were numerous vegetable selections (lentils, spinach, carrots/green beans, etc.) presented in a good combination of spices. I enjoyed the fact that their food is not greasy/oily (like many Indian food vegetable selections that I have tried) and the Injera bread (a staple food at Ethiopian restaurants) was quite good. I think it is a good way to try a variety of new items.
I have also been to the restaurant when they do not have the buffet -- the normal menu is typical of ethiopian restaurants in the Adams Morgan area and is also quite good. Worth the trip!
Downstairs seems like a "sports bar" for the true Ethiopian clientele ("where everybody knows your name" type of feeling). The upstairs area seems to be designated for those looking to have dinner in a more restaurant-like setting.
